Therapy
by TellMeMore90
Summary: Abby is emotionally damaged and Connor knows it. He decides to help her. Watch as their relationship evolves through five series and beyond. A smattering of Jecker included. WARNING : mentions abuse, strong language start of ch 3 only - check warnings in each chapter heading. Rating changed to M
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N - This started out to be a story about Abby giving Connor dating tips, but as I wrote the characters took over and it went in a somewhat different direction. Set in series 1.**

**WARNING - mentions abuse**

* * *

**Therapy**

Connor had been living with Abby for a little over a week.

They had settled into a familiar routine now that the initial hiccups were out of the way. Connor didn't leave ANY of his clothes anywhere except in the loft which he was using as a store room, on pain of death. Connor would put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket and not straight into the washing machine. Connor would hang up the towels in the bathroom and wipe round the basin after he had washed, shaved and cleaned his teeth. Connor would use only his own shower gel (in fact Abby had deliberately bought on overly floral scented one just to train him). Connor would use his own shampoo, conditioner and hair products (ditto). Connor would clean the bath after he had used it. Connor would not put empty bottles or tubs back in the fridge, or empty packets back in the larder. Connor would not use a wet teaspoon in the coffee or the sugar. Connor would add any items he finished or nearly finished to the shopping list. Connor would put the milk back in the fridge. Connor would NOT eat Abby's favourite yogurt. Connor would throw his own rubbish away. Connor would always put the loo seat back down.

Failure to comply with any of these stipulations would result in reprisals that Connor would not like – washing up duty being a popular choice.

Connor actually didn't mind. He liked the idea that Abby was house training him – moulding him the Abby way. He hoped it meant she at least cared a little bit, and one day, once she'd finished moulding, she might notice that she liked what she'd made … hopefully.

Living with Abby, Connor had the opportunity to observe her closely, in her natural habitat so to speak. He was coming to recognise patterns in her behaviour and indicators to her moods.

He knew if she slammed the bathroom door in the morning before her shower she would be in a bad mood all day. If she had slept well and was rested she would have tea with her breakfast, but if she'd had a bad night she'd have coffee, strong with milk and one sugar.

He noticed that she had bad nights often. When he was sleeping on the sofa, sometimes she would appear at her bedroom door in the middle of the night, spot him, huff and go back into her room.

One morning about a fortnight after Connor arrived, Abby was drinking coffee in the kitchen.

"Connor, as it's Saturday would you like to come with me to buy a bed?"

Connor looked bemused then delighted. "'Course Abby I'd love to. Err, what kind of bed?" Expansive four-posters swam through his mind. Well he could dream couldn't he?

"I was thinking one for the loft. I've always meant to turn it into a spare bedroom, for visitors and whatnot. Now seems the perfect time as you're kipping on my sofa. If we put a bed up there you can kip in the loft until you get your place sorted."

Connor blushed slightly, knowing where this particular conversation was going.

"Any word on that yet Con?"

"Err no. Irons in the fire. Waiting to hear from a mate. I'll let you know." There were no irons and there was no mate, but he wouldn't tell Abby that. He'd much rather kip on her sofa than on Tom and Duncan's. The view was so much better if nothing else.

"Well, just cos I'm gonna put a bed in the loft, don't get ideas it's for you. I still expect you out as soon as you're sorted."

"Yes Abby."

They ordered a bed. Luckily it was same day delivery, so they had it in by late afternoon. Abby had bought several changes of linen for it and by six they were all sorted. Connor had a bed to sleep on.

Connor was sitting in the kitchen looking at takeaway menus.

Abby walked in and glanced in his direction as she made herself a tea. "You not going out tonight?"

"Nope, I thought I'd get a takeaway and watch a film. Unless you've got plans of course and need me to get out."

"Why would I need you to get out?"

"Well, you know, if you've got a date. I don't want to be in the way, playing gooseberry." Connor really and truly hoped Abby didn't have a date. He didn't know if he'd be able to cope with watching her making out with some handsome muscled hunk, or worse, Stephen.

"No Connor, no date. What about you? No plans?"

"Nah. Tom and Duncan are having a Buffy series 5 fest, but I'm really not interested."

"What, no Buffy! Are you sick or something?" She was laughing at him and he knew it. The truth was, he'd rather spend the evening with her. He'd rather spend his whole life with her, but he couldn't tell her that and she wouldn't accept it anyway. Not yet.

"What kind of takeaway?"

"I was thinking curry. Do you want in?"

"Yeah, why not. You order and I'll get the beers. Anything on telly tonight or shall we watch a film?"

"Film I think. Whatdya fancy?"

"Comedy" they both said together. So they settled down for an evening on the sofa watching 'Jackass', eating curry and drinking Grolsch.

Connor made his way up to the loft and his new bed. It _was_ his bed but he wouldn't let Abby know that. He hadn't realised before that from up here he had a view of the whole flat. He also had Rex snoring in his nest in the rafters.

At about 1:30 he was woken by the sound of gentle sobbing, and the muffled tones of someone saying "No, don't hurt him. No, leave me alone. No. No." Then he heard an equally muffled scream. Five minutes later, Abby's door opened and she quietly padded across the living room to the kitchen. She was sniffing and whimpering.

Connor watched from his vantage point. She was wrapped in her favourite fluffy dressing gown, and was using kitchen towel to dab at her eyes and blow her nose. She put the kettle on and placed a camomile tea bag in her favourite mug.

Connor watched her distress and felt nothing but love for her. He so wanted to go down, take her in his arms, kiss away her tears and tell her everything would be alright because he was there for her. But he knew she wouldn't want that, she wouldn't want him. All he could do was sit there and watch. And once it became too painful, he turned away and gave her her privacy.

-0-0-0-

On Monday at the Home Office, he was sorely tempted to find out as much as he could about Abby's background. Whatever was making her so distressed must have happened in her childhood. Maybe if he hacked her personnel file he'd find something. So he logged in on at a spare terminal in an empty office and began to burrow his way through Home Office security towards his goal.

It wasn't hard. Being on the internal network helped, and having found the office owner's secure login stuck to the inside of their top drawer made it even easier. He soon found Abby's file. He found out her middle name was Sarah, and she was born on the 1st April and then he came to her family history. It had an extra level of encryption over and above what was normal. Someone really didn't want this read by any old HR manager. Connor could hack it no worries, but did he really want to? If someone had gone to that much trouble to keep her past private, then perhaps he should back off. It was enough to know that there was something there that needed that level of confidentiality. Connor logged off.

Throughout the day Connor pondered what he had discovered, such as it was. He knew from her bad nights and the few phrases he'd heard that it was something dreadful. He suspected abuse. It would account for why she behaved the way she did, her mood swings, her flashes of anger and the huge defensive walls she had built around herself.

Connor knew a thing or two about abuse. Much as he adored his mum and dad, his uncle had been a bastard. His parents had always thought he was a quiet child, the GP thought perhaps borderline autistic. In reality, his uncle liked to 'play' with him whilst babysitting when his mum was at work. It wasn't until he was four that his mother walked in on it one afternoon. She'd come home from work early and had sneaked in to surprise her brother and son. She got the surprise and it wasn't pleasant. She screamed and called her husband and the police. Luckily the police arrived first.

Connor was terrified, first by his mother's screams, then the police, then his father angrier than he'd ever seen him trying to kill his uncle, and then being taken by a police officer in an ambulance to be examined in hospital.

There were questions and social workers trying to get him to show where he was touched on a doll.

For him, the abuse had_ almost_ been normal. He had been so young when it started he knew no better. He always cried bitterly when his mum left for work, but she thought that was because he was clingy. 'Playing' with his uncle was just something he did that was a secret and he didn't like very much.

When the police found the pictures in his uncle's flat all hell broke loose. Luckily it was in the days before the internet was so widely available and his uncle was a computer illiterate anyway. He'd been too scared to be part of a ring so had kept the photos for his own private amusement.

Connor had to go into therapy for years. He learnt to be a people pleaser, to please his shattered mum, his guilt-ridden dad and the therapist. It took the longest time for his dad to even be able to touch him, and then when he got older and was more interested in dinosaurs and computers than sport, his dad became convinced he'd been damaged. The fact that he was showing signs of being gifted, a genius even, didn't help, not with his dad anyway. He loved his dad dearly, but felt isolated from him. He tried desperately to please him, to be the son he wanted, but to no avail. They loved each other, but just couldn't communicate. Connor suspected that the guilt his father felt at not protecting his son was to blame. When his father died when Connor was just fifteen, the rift had still remained, except in those final moments when his father had given his son his wedding band and told him he loved him.

Connor came to terms with what had been done to him. He vowed that he would never deliberately hurt anyone he cared for, no matter what. With the help of his adoring mother he learned to be open hearted and caring. He strove to always see the good in people and not the dark, mean, hateful bits. To the world he projected the image of a cheerful, bubbly laughing lad with a smile that could light up a room. Some of the time that was true, but not always. When he was bullied at school his thoughts became very dark indeed. A little judicious hacking of exam results gave Connor his revenge on his tormentors and a modicum of satisfaction.

Because of his own experiences Connor could understand Abby. He could help her, if she'd let him, but he knew she wouldn't trust him, so it was easier if she didn't know. That would ruin everything and she would never trust him again. No, he had to play the long game. He had to be her friend, get her to trust him and to accept him as a constant in her life and then one day she might open up to him.

He knew she would hurt him time and time again, but he could handle that. His therapist had very kindly given him the tools inadvertently.

His therapist always wanted him to voice his pain and anger, to let it out. That wasn't Connor's way. Connor learnt to control his pain and anger through video games. He would appear placid and almost unaffected. Later he could lose himself in an alternate reality and whump monsters, aliens and vampires to his heart's content, purging the darkness from his soul in digital carnage.

For someone he loved he could bear anything, and he was beginning to love Abby more than life itself.

-0-0-0-

Saturday came around again, and again Connor was in the kitchen checking out a takeaway menu.

"No date again Con?"

"No date again Abs?"

"Nah. Didn't feel like it. Although Jenkins asked me out, but I think Stephen scared him off."

"Jenkins? Stephen?"

"You know, Corporal Jenkins."

"Oh yeah, one of Ryan's soldiers. Big muscles, blonde hair, no brain."

"Yep."

"And Stephen scared him off?"

"Came up behind us just as Jenkins asked. Whispered in his ear 'Do you really think that is appropriate behaviour in the workplace?' Poor Jenkins went very pale and scuttled away."

"Good old Stephen." Connor smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "So you and Stephen. Is there anything … errr?"

"None of your business and even if there was still none of your business."

"But no date tonight" Abby looked a little miserable. Connor slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. "Don't worry Abs, you've always got me." And he gave her a glowing smile complete with dimple.

"I know I have Con. Thanks." She was genuinely grateful, even sliding her arm round his waist and returning the hug.

They ordered a chinese, picked out a film from the local rental shop and returned to the flat. As they sat eating and watching the latest blockbuster, which was turning out to be remarkably boring, Abby turned to Connor.

"Con, since you've been here you've not been out on a single date. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"I have a pen-pal, in Ghana."

"But no girlfriend."

"At the moment, no."

"Have there been girls then, you know, in the past? Or perhaps boys?"

"If you mean have I been on dates with GIRLS, yeah, some."

He didn't like to say that he was actually really popular at Uni amongst the science, sci-fi and fantasy crowd. Being those few years older and a genius with those gorgeous dark eyes and that dimpled mega watt smile he'd had no problems with the ladies. He just walked into the bar and the girls were all hanging off his every word much to Tom and Duncan's disgust … although they didn't mind picking up his cast offs. The thing was Connor was choosey. He didn't want to play the field. Maybe it was a hangover from his childhood, but what he wanted was true love. That special person that set his heart alight. And he was willing to wait for it. Not to say he was sexually inexperienced, but what he did was to research and he made sure going in to each relationship that the girl knew there was no future in it. Not that he was using her, he made sure she always got at least as much out of the liaison as he did, but that it was not forever. He didn't do one night stands and he didn't do pick ups, which was probably why his chat up lines were so bad – he'd never really needed them. He'd had five delightful, discreet but brief relationships with five very carefully selected women. Now he felt he was ready for forever. He just hoped that one day he'd be able to persuade Abby of that before she broke his heart.

Abby looked excited at the news that Connor had actually dated. "Come on, spill. I hope you didn't ask them to snuggle together for warmth."

"No, funnily enough I've only ever used that line on you. Anyway, I'm a gentleman and as such I do not spill."

"Aww you're just pulling my leg. I bet you've never been on a date."

"Have too." Connor was getting a little flustered and tried to turn the tables. "Well what about you? I haven't seen you go on a single date since I've been here. And don't say its cos I get in the way, cos you know I'd give you your space if you asked."

"Well, I'm really not interested in anyone at the moment."

"Not even Stephen?"

Abby blushed and looked down at the floor. "Weeelll, maybe. I do have a bit of a thing for him, but it's just a crush. Give it a couple of weeks and I'll be over it, just like all my previous pretty boy boyfriends. Anyway he's strictly off limits cos he's already got Alison. I don't steal other women's men."

"You said 'all your previous boyfriends'. How many have you had?" An indelicate question, but Abby didn't seem bothered.

"A few, but they all ended badly. I always seem to pick the selfish bastards." Abby looked sad again and Connor felt awful for having made her think of it. Abby shook herself, looked up at him with a big smile and slightly watery eyes. "Oh well, never mind. You can't miss what you've never had. Fancy another beer?"

"Yeah why not. Not like we've got anyone to please but ourselves."

"Yeah. And Con, tomorrow morning, why don't we have a practice at those chat-up lines of yours. Maybe we'll be able to get you a girl."

"Sure Abs." But in Connor's mind, he'd already got one. She just didn't know it yet.

**tbc**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Connor and Abby were in the video rental store trying to find something to while away the evening.

Things had been a little tense between them recently. Something was bothering Abby and Connor couldn't figure out what. He'd tried being super nice to her, doing extra little things to make her happy, but it seemed to be having the reverse effect. Being the good scientist he was he needed more data, so he'd decided to reverse his behaviour. He had just this evening decided to see how she reacted when he deliberately did little things to annoy her. He started by refusing her choice of a rom-com for their evening movie.

Abby looked sad, said "Whatever, see you back at the flat." and left him to make the selection himself. Further to his analysis he was deciding on which horror film to rent – nothing too scary or gory because Abby didn't like that – and he'd also pick up the rom-com she'd wanted just to soothe her. This was an experiment, not torture, and he hadn't liked that sad little look on her face. It did things to his chest that felt uncomfortable.

Unexpectedly, a voice said to him "that's not bad but this one's better."

He turned and was looking into the pretty eyes of a decidedly good looking woman. Connor was surprised. A quick assessment revealed expensive perfume, simple but obviously expensive jewellery, white designer jeans, expensive designer shoes and expertly applied makeup. Her whole appearance said she liked the good life and had the money to pay for it.

This raised three questions in Connor's mind: one – why was she in a cheap video rental shop, two – why was she here on a Saturday evening and three – why was she talking to him?

Connor knew he was an alright looking bloke and, in the right crowd, he would have no difficulty attracting women, if he wanted. But he had never been chatted up before, certainly not in a video shop and certainly not by this type of woman. She was the kind that would like buff, beautiful men who would hang off her every word and pamper her every whim. Skinny geeks in tatty (by her standards) thrift shop clothes should not even register on her radar.

Connor wasn't stupid and he wasn't naïve, despite what people assumed about him. He guessed there was more to this than first appearances suggested. He'd play along and see where it lead. If things went pear-shaped he could always shut the research down. If nothing else, bringing an attractive woman back to the flat might make Abby just a little jealous and give him more data on Project Abby.

"Why don't you come back to mine and we can watch that together. My flat-mate won't mind, she doesn't like horror movies anyway."

"Oh Connor, I'd love to. And maybe we can get to know each other better." She ran her hand gently up his arm. It was meant to be a suggestive caress, but to Connor it felt like talons. It was all he could do to not flinch.

Connor got confirmation that this was all an act for his benefit part way through the film. Caroline nearly jumped out of her skin when a chain saw unexpectedly sliced through the wall, taking one of the peripheral characters with it. Caroline squealed. She shouldn't have been surprised as she claimed this was one of her favourite films she'd seen several times. To cover her mistake she clung to Connor for comfort and whispered "I love that part, it always makes me so cuddly." Connor played along, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close, much to Abby's obvious disgust. He knew then he had to find out what was going on.

As far as Abby was concerned, she had taken an instant dislike to this painted interloper. She could tell straight off that Caroline Steele was a complete fake who had absolutely no interest in Connor the man … man? Abby shook her head at the thought. When had Connor ceased to be a boy in her mind? And why was this floozy making up to him so obviously. Couldn't he see he was being played, although for what reason she had no idea. He was clearly so inexperienced with women that this pathetic act was turning his head. If she didn't do something this harpy would have him seriously ensnared. She had to do something, but she didn't want to crush his naïve heart. Perhaps if she just showed her disgust he'd get the message.

Connor watched Abby storm out of room muttering about going to bed. She was clearly annoyed at Caroline's attention to him. Connor carefully filed the data away for analysis later. Now he turned his attention back to Caroline. The film was drawing to a close and she would soon have to make her next play. Would she suggest staying over? No probably not, she wouldn't want to appear too forward and maybe scare him off. Would she ask to see him again? Most definitely if this was, as he suspected, some sort of honey trap. To test his hypothesis, Connor would try to kiss Caroline full on the lips. He would not hold her shoulders or face so she could easily get away, but it would be interesting to see her reaction.

The film ended and Caroline stretched and yawned, smiling suggestively as she did so. She then uncoiled herself from the sofa as the already standing Connor reached out his hand to help her up. She took his hand and gently ran her fingers down his wrist before accepting his assistance to rise.

"That was fun." He smiled warmly at her, leaving it open for her to suggest doing it again.

"Yes, we should do this again." Ahh, there is was.

"That, that would be wonderful." He gave her a slightly startled grin. Well if she assumed he was inexperienced he was willing to play along.

He was ushering her slowly towards the stairs and the door. She was taking the hint, and moving in that direction, but looking over her shoulder at him, all smiles and teeth.

"How about tomorrow night? I could come over. Perhaps I could cook for you."

"Oh that would be wonderful, and Abby would love it, she hates cooking." He enjoyed seeing the little flash of anger at his mention of Abby.

"Of course, I would be delighted for Abby to join us, after all it is her kitchen too, even if she doesn't know how to use it." She did a masterful job keeping the annoyance out of her voice, but couldn't resist the barbed comment.

By now they had reached the bottom of the stairs and the front door. Connor opened it and joined Caroline on the front step.

"Thank you Caroline. I had a wonderful evening. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

"Oh Connor, it's been wonderful. I'm so glad we've met. You're just adorable." Again, the smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Connor leant forward hesitantly. He wanted this to appear just right – the nervous boy moving in for that first kiss. He got within millimetres of her lips before she turned her head slightly to the right so that he kissed her cheek. And there it was – the final proof as if he needed it.

Caroline turned and began to walk away, waving and smiling, with a slight spring in her step. "Until tomorrow lover." She called over her shoulder.

He walked back into the flat, securely locking the front door before climbing up the stairs, whistling happily to himself. Another interesting experiment. He now had Project Abby and Project Caroline.

Abby was stood at the top of the stairs watching him. She incorrectly assumed that he was happy that he now had a girlfriend. She didn't realise that, to his way of thinking, he already had a girlfriend and had since he'd moved in to her flat. She just didn't know it yet.

He smiled happily at the sullen and tired angel who was waiting for him.

"Has she gone?"

"Yes. But she's coming over tomorrow if that's OK. She's going to cook for us."

Abby looked less than thrilled. "She'll probably poison mine."

"Oh Abby, don't be like that. She seems a really nice person." He lied through his teeth.

"Con, where on earth did you pick her up?"

"She picked me up, at the video store actually."

"Con, don't you think she looked a bit, well, sophisticated, to be picking up blokes in a video store?"

"She said I was nice and kind and made a pleasant change from the usual meat heads she dated." He tried to give Abby his best 'wounded puppy' look.

It worked, as Abby's face softened and her eyes warmed. "Oh Con. Well if it makes you happy. Let's have her over tomorrow and see if she can really cook."

-0-0-0-

Connor lay in bed that night mulling over his newly acquired data.

Abby had been angry when he brought Caroline back, but that could have just been down to an invasion of her space by an unexpected female – territorial behaviour.

Abby had sat with them watching a horror movie, when she hated that genre – again territorial behaviour. Keeping an eye on the interloper.

Abby had huffed out of the room when Caroline had snuggled up to Connor and he had put his arm round her – that was territorial behaviour that had nothing to do with the flat. That was territorial behaviour over him. Abby clearly saw him as belonging to her in some way and she didn't appreciate this other female distracting him. This was good.

Abby re-appeared once Caroline had gone, and softened when she realised Connor looked happy. This was bad. She cared for his well-being, but didn't mind him being happy with another woman, even one as obviously false as Caroline. Or was she just happy he was happy and she knew that this thing with Caroline couldn't last, so didn't really feel threatened? This was a tricky point and would require further analysis.

As to the delectable Caroline Steele, just what did she want and how far could he push her before she snapped?

**tbc**


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING : strong language and sexual references. Also mention of abuse.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Abby was sick to death of Caroline bloody Steele and her simpering round Connor. He must be really, really naïve or truly stupid not to realise she was playing him. For a genius he could be awfully thick sometimes and that's one reason she loved him.

Shit, shit, shit! Why did that have to pop into her head? She'd been carefully avoiding thinking the L word with reference to Connor for over a month now, dodging its sneak attacks on her brain and the flutters his presence caused in her stomach. She'd become so annoyed with her feelings she'd started taking it out on Connor himself, snapping at him and pushing him even further away.

She'd even woken up in the middle of the night, just two nights ago, crying his name after a particularly torrid sex dream where his lips and hands had been all over her. Connor had come running into her room as she sat bolt upright in bed, covered in a sheen of sweat, eyes wide and staring at the shock of what she'd just called out. She convinced him it was a nightmare; that she was reliving when he was chased by the raptor in the shopping centre. It was a very unconvincing lie, but she hoped he could be a bit thick about that too.

It was jealousy. It must be just jealousy over Caroline's attention and his obvious enjoyment of it. Why couldn't he be like that with her? Wanting to kiss and hold her?

'Well he had, you silly bitch, except you pushed him away and told him you fancied Stephen, even long after that particular crush died. You always do this, you stupid cow. You're not good for anything and you're shit at relationships. Who'd want you anyway? Wait until he wants sex, then he'll start sniffing round cos that's all you're good for – fucking and cleaning. Bloody useless little waste of space. You should have shagged that soldier – he'd have got you screaming, just like I like you. Just like you should be you little useless tart.' Her step-father's voice rang in her head as it did so many times. Her inner voice was invariably her step-father still spitting his poison into her life even from beyond the grave.

She had gone on a date with one of the ARC soldiers, just because she was lonely and to get her away from the flat and the disgusting Connor/Caroline love fest. He'd been nice enough at first, but when he started snuggling up to her, trying to fondle her breast and beginning the preamble to asking her for sex. He hadn't even had the class to ask her back to his, simply suggesting the alley out the back of the bar. She'd made her excuses and left, making it very clear there would not be a repeat performance.

She heard the words "frigid bitch" and "geek lover" ring after her. Two days later she bumped into him in the ARC with a couple of other soldiers. At least he had the decency not to snigger, perhaps realising that she could make his position uncomfortable if he stepped out of line. It was a mistake she was not going to make again. She would just have to be lonely. Even though nothing had happened she felt cheapened by the experience. She didn't tell Connor. She felt like she'd cheated on him - how screwed up was that?

-0-0-0-

She sat, curled up on her bed, sobbing quietly and waiting for Connor to get home from the theatre. She hoped he would at least have the common sense to leave Caroline at the door.

Today she had thought she would die, but he had come for her, twice. She though the creature had killed him when he was smacked into the water by its massive tail. His scream had echoed through her mind even as her own scream of his name rang out in the subterranean room. When the creature pushed her through the anomaly and, snapping and barging, herded her towards its, what, pride, pack, whatever. She knew this was it. No-one was left to come for her. She would die in this bizarre future would, probably as food for these strange creatures. There was no other obvious reason why she was there.

Then she heard him call her name. At first she thought it was her imagination, wishful thinking, but the creatures heard it too and moved menacingly towards her. She screamed. That was all she had left to her.

Then she heard it again. He had come and he would rescue her, because he always did. It must have killed his arm trying to pull her up the cliff. She could see him slipping and the sharp rocks cutting through his shirt as her weight, slight though it was, dragged him towards the jagged rocks below. She didn't want him to die. She couldn't imagine a world without Connor Temple. He had to live even at the cost of her own life.

"Just let me go."

And then he'd said it. He had said it hadn't he? She knew he'd denied it later, but that wasn't surprising given how she'd spurned his attentions. But then, on the cliff, with death just metres away, when it really mattered, she was sure he had told her he loved her.

He had said he loved her and had really meant it. No-one had ever said that to her before. Sure, men had said it as a ploy to get her into bed, or while they were using her body for their own enjoyment, but they'd never actually meant it, they'd never actually cared about her. It was just something to say during sex. But this was real, this was heart-felt, this had meant something. And she'd dismissed it. "He's not my boyfriend" she'd hissed at Lucien. It was an automatic reaction, but this time she'd added extra venom. Why was that?

She sat in her little bundle, listening for the front door and playing the day's events over and over in her head. What was he going to say before Caroline so rudely interrupted? He looked – different, almost resigned, but – confident like he'd made a decision. Then Caroline arrived and bumbling Connor returned.

Did she love him? Her subconscious thought so. But as she'd told him before, she didn't steal other women's men. While he was happily with Caroline, Connor was off limits.

But was he happily with Caroline? She'd never seen them kiss, not properly. She'd have expected them to be snogging at every opportunity whether she was there or not. She'd walked in on them unexpectedly a number of times, expecting to catch them in some compromising position but instead they were always doing something quite innocuous like watching telly or playing x-box. And for someone who claimed to be such a geek, Caroline was frankly crap at the games. Initial lack of skill could have been put down to coquettish flirting, but now it made no sense.

It all just confirmed Abby's feeling that Caroline was playing with Connor, and her interest in Rex was becoming a worry. Why couldn't he see he was being used? Had Abby really treated him so badly that he took solace in the arms of such an obvious fraud? And why was Caroline using him anyway? What could she gain other than access to Rex and the ARC? But she'd given no indication that she knew about that. Except Connor's phone _did_ keep turning itself off so he couldn't be contacted, making them late to anomaly calls.

Oh, she couldn't think straight. She was too exhausted to get it clear in her mind. All she wanted now was Connor. She needed his arms around her and his mega-watt smile, and his glorious giggle, and the way he made all the bad stuff go away.

-0-0-0-

Connor had made his excuses to Caroline during the interval. The play she had chosen was a reworking of George Bernard Shaw's 'Candida'. At the best of times, it was not his cup of tea, and tonight it really wasn't doing anything for him. Caroline had to nudge him twice to stop him snoring. She seemed relieved when he suggested he leave and even more happy when he told her to stay and enjoy the rest of the play. Luckily he didn't need to kiss her goodnight - when he'd got close to her earlier she'd wrinkled her nose in disgust and said he smelt of fish.

He opened the door to the flat, locking it carefully behind him and made his way cautiously upstairs. He knew he shouldn't have left Abby, but he needed time to think and to clear his head. Declaring his love in a future hell-hole hadn't been his intention when he'd woken that morning, but then neither had having a massive row with Abby, carrying out a failed search for her, and then going back to an empty flat to mourn the loss of the love of his life.

He'd felt like his heart had been ripped out when Lester had ordered him home. When Cutter had called he was in two minds about helping, but it's what Abby would have wanted, and what Abby wanted Abby got, from Connor at least. If Abby had ever given even the slightest indication that she wanted him, he'd have handed her his heart on a silver platter.

Finding her alive was like learning to breathe again. Following her through the anomaly was never a question. If she'd have fallen down that cliff he would have followed her. His declaration had sprung from his lips unbidden but he meant every word and so much more.

And then she'd hissed "He's not my boyfriend." True, he wasn't, but even so, her words were unnecessarily harsh, especially as he'd just saved her life. No, she probably thought Stephen had done that with his big gun. Stephen who had been off limits because of Alison. And Connor who was off limits because of Caroline.

'Connor Temple for a genius sometimes you can be really thick!' he berated himself.

He reached the top of the stairs and was met with darkness. Abby had obviously gone to bed. That sounded sensible. A shower and then bed. That's what Connor needed.

Then a sliver of light appeared. Abby's bedroom door had opened a crack, then a little more. Connor watched as the beautiful face with red-rimmed, tired eyes scanned the room for him.

"Connor, is that you?"

"Abs, I'm here."

"Con, you're home early. How was the play?" Her voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.

"Boring. Lots of words and flouncing. I kept falling asleep." He was trying to make her laugh. He got a wan smile for his efforts.

"Abs, I'm just gonna take a shower. Do you want anything?"

"OK Con. When you're done, can you come in here for a minute? I think I need you … your help with something."

"Sure Abs, give me five minutes."

Connor took the quickest shower ever. He'd stripped off all his clothes before reaching the bathroom, didn't wait for the water to warm up, and soaped, shampooed and rinsed himself in record time. He dried off as quickly as he could, dashed into his room with his dirty laundry, before pulling on clean boxers and wrapping himself in his dressing grown.

Four minutes twenty seven seconds later he was knocking on Abby's bedroom door. She called him in, her voice barely a whisper, and closing the door behind him he took in the sight. She was curled up in a ball, still wrapped in her pyjamas and dressing gown. Her hair was a mess where it had dried in bed. She looked pale, red eyed and scared. She was still shivering.

"I can't get warm Con. Please, can you hold me? I need to get warm." She sounded so weak and lost.

Connor felt pangs of guilt for having left her this evening. He should have turned Caroline down. He should never have left Abby alone. He could have got his head straight another time. Abby had just come miraculously back into his life after being so cruelly ripped away and he went to the bloody theatre with that conniving bitch, Caroline. What was he thinking? He knew exactly what he was thinking. He was punishing her for "he's not my boyfriend." He had broken his own golden rule and had deliberately hurt someone he loved. He felt like such a shit.

Looking at her curled up on the bed, his heart melted. He would put it right now. He would hold her now and make her feel warm and comforted. He would make her feel loved, even if he couldn't ever say those words to her again.

"Its OK Abs. I'm here."

He sat on the bed next to her, his back against the head board. He scooped her into his arms, her head resting against his chest, her arms across his midriff and her legs wrapped around his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled the duvet up around her shoulders. He kissed her hair and whispered gentle words of comfort to her.

"I'm here Abs. I'm not letting you go. You're safe now. I've got you. Don't cry, you're safe. I'll never let you go again. It's all over. You'll be fine. It'll be all right, you'll see. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here." He continued whispering and kissing even as she gave a contented sigh and fell asleep. He kept whispering even as he too drifted off to sleep.

The morning would bring new challenges, but tonight Connor and Abby were content in each other's arms.

**tbc**


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING - character deaths. Mentions abuse**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Connor had come to the conclusion that Caroline Steele was a plant working for the same party that was employing The Cleaner. It was clear that some sort of conspiracy was taking place and it was centred on the ARC. Presumably, mild-mannered and innocent Connor Temple had been identified as the weak link hence Caroline's devoted interest. Someone really thought he was that inexperienced that he couldn't see he was being played!

Whilst waiting for Cutter and Stephen to return from the Silurian desert, hopefully with the owner of the dog, Connor and Abby monitored the anomaly.

Connor really wanted to tell Abby all about Caroline. That he had only been dating her to find out what she was playing at. He hated that his 'relationship' with Caroline was making Abby unhappy - that had never been his intention - a little jealousy was theraputic, but enough was enough and he didn't want to upset her or worse, cause her pain. But he couldn't tell her the truth about Caroline without revealing everything and hurting her. Better to just say that it wasn't working out and he was breaking up with her. In many respects it was the truth.

Not wishing to risk a scene, and because Connor knew she didn't deserve any kind treatment from him, he dumped Caroline by text. He'd already managed to swipe the spare front-door key back last night, but had failed to realise she had made an extra copy. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd given her the key in the first place, when she'd simpered and begged him for it. He should have made his excuses instead of giving in.

When they returned to the flat and realised Rex was missing, it was obvious who the culprit was. Connor felt awful as Abby worried about her pet and lashed out at him in her pain. He deserved it and did nothing to defend himself. He had miscalculated badly and he deserved her wrath. He could only hope that they could recover Rex before anything happened to him.

Finding out that Cutter too suspected a traitor was a relief. Fixing the ADD to trap the culprit was inspired and, for Connor, relatively simple. Waiting in the church, singing hymns with Abby had been wonderful. He caught the look that she briefly gave him and his heart flipped. Jenny arriving with soldiers and then nearly getting blown up in the ARC were not so good, but he was still alive, so was grateful for small mercies.

Connor wracked his brains to figure out who had set him up with Caroline. It had to be someone in the ARC who knew Connor fairly well but had a low opinion of him. Someone who saw him as an innocent, incompetent geek who stood no chance with women. He narrowed it down to Stephen and Oliver Leek. Stephen knew he fancied Abby, and Connor knew that, given half the chance, Stephen would be all over her. Stephen still couldn't really accept that it was his own behaviour that had changed her relationship with him from potential lover to friend and colleague. But Leek was another matter. He simpered around Abby, and most of the other women in the ARC, but he was obviously not as successful with the ladies as he would like. Also, he was envious of Lester's position and often made snide remarks behind Lester's back whilst being a sycophant to his face. Finally, Stephen knew Connor's worth as a technician, but Leek belittled Connor's achievements and begrudged him his position in the ARC.

Finding out that Leek was working with Helen Cutter, of all people, and that they were behind everything, including Caroline Steele and kidnapping Rex came as a nasty surprise. Just Leek would have been bad enough, but with Helen in the mix it all became so much worse. Leek had gloated to Connor about his cleverness and confirmed his involvement with Caroline before calling Connor a loser. He'd assumed Connor was talking himself up when he said he did alright with women, he was just choosey. Connor wasn't lying, and his choice was stood close behind his left shoulder.

-0-0-0-

Stephen's funeral was soul destroying. Connor felt badly for Abby. He knew her crush had been over as soon as Helen Cutter had announced her affair, but even so, Stephen was still a dear friend and colleague who had surrendered his life to protect them all.

Connor felt so guilty. Not only had he suspected Stephen, but had concealed his belief that he was being used. Admittedly he had no idea initially that it was centred around the ARC, but if he had voiced his concerns about Caroline to Professor Cutter earlier instead of going blithely ahead with Project Caroline, could this have been prevented? The more Connor thought about it the more he believed not. Someone was going to die that day and he just thanked his lucky stars that it wasn't Abby, especially after her terrifying heroics with the Smiledon. It took all his will-power to trust her knowledge and instincts as she used herself as bait to lure the Smiledon away from them and towards the power cabinet.

Standing by Stephen's graveside, guilt soon became anger at Helen Cutter and a grim determination to stop her. For someone who by instinct always saw the good in people, Helen Cutter was the exception. As he walked away from the graveside he felt the most determined and single-minded he had in a long while – a determination born of anger and a growing contempt. Abby walked slightly behind him as he turned his back on the apologetic Caroline, finding it difficult to keep up with him as he strode so defiantly away that he almost swaggered. She had never seen him like this. She tried to hold his hand, but he was lost in his own mind and paying no attention to the world around him.

Not until they had returned to the flat and they both held cups of tea did _her_ Connor return. Then they cried. Then they consoled. Then they grieved.

-0-0-0-

After losing Stephen there was another change in the dynamic of their relationship.

Abby had taken the opportunity to re-assess her life. She accepted that she loved Connor as her best friend and more, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing him from her life.

Unlike Stephen, Connor had become her touch stone, the constant in her life that cherished, protected and, yes, loved her. She trusted him like no-one else, not even Cutter.

Abby was well aware that her feelings for Connor were becoming deeper each day - that she loved him. She just couldn't tell him. The mere thought of confiding her feelings still terrified her. With the turmoil of Stephen's death, the comfort they gave each other just by their closeness was … healing. That was what she had been groping for - Connor's presence in her life was healing her. She still had a long way to go, but her vile inner voice was less frequent and her constant fear and self-loathing was abating.

Much as she craved Connor's touch, she knew in her heart that trying to take things further now would be a mistake. She was still too damaged and uncertain of her own reaction. She didn't want to lead Connor on and then suddenly shy away from him, scaring him away. Slow and steady was what she needed. Keep letting Connor in bit by bit and one day … oh one day!

"Whatya thinkin' about Abs?" He had never seen her looking more relaxed and beautiful. She was smiling and radiant. He really hoped she was thinking about him.

"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if it was worth trying Rex on blackberries."

Connor laughed "No Abs! Purple poo!" She laughed too. A relaxed, tinkling laugh. Connor knew she had so been thinking about him and he felt warm and comforted. She was becoming stronger. She was healing. Connor Therapy was working.

-0-0-0-

Abby had told him, by a quirk of her head, to go after Cutter. Without a second thought he ran into the smouldering wreckage of the ARC to find their mentor. She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth as Connor carried the body back into the carpark. She knew at once Cutter was gone, just by the broken and distraught look on Connor's face. After he had placed the body reverently on the ground he stood back, allowing the others to carry out futile first aid. Abby ran to him, knowing that he was the one that needed treatment. Cutter had been a father figure to him and now Helen Cutter had stolen that away. She held him and let him wrap his arms around her as they both stared at the body before them.

That dark place in Connor's soul that had once been the preserve of bullies and abusers now had Helen Cutter firmly installed. He was not a violent man, but one way or another Helen Cutter was going down.

Abby saw the steel in his eyes and felt the tension in his body. She guessed what was going through his mind. She hated Helen for what she had done to Stephen and Cutter, but she really hated Helen for what her continued meddling in time did to her man … her kind, brilliant, heart-broken man.

That night, after showers and food, they sat on the sofa drinking beer and reminiscing. Then, when they'd had enough beer and before they got too drunk, they drank tea snuggled shoulder to shoulder in their pyjamas. When they'd had enough to drink Abby gently snuggled up to Connor and put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her without a second thought. It was natural and right. Together they just snuggled, lost in their own thoughts and the feeling of comfort they gave each other.

-0-0-0-

The phone message threw Connor for a loop.

"Tell Abby I'm gonna show her a right good time!" the cheerful man had said. Connor's mind began running permutations. He could only come up with one. A former lover, one Abby had never mentioned, was coming back into her life.

Connor knew he had no real claim on Abby's affections despite what he wanted. Apart from that one time, he had never voiced his feelings for her, just hoping that his behaviour towards her would be all the proof she needed of his affections. And he knew he was making progress. She accepted him, turned to him, relied on him. He could see that she was so much more trusting and accepting. She behaved around him in a similar way she behaved with her lizards. She had always been completely open with her animals. Oh, he so hoped she didn't see him as a pet!

The major change in her behaviour towards him was the kissing. Not full kissing, but the pecks on the cheek that she gave him with increasing regularity. It had started after a particularly bad incursion when he'd nearly been trampled. He'd managed to duck out of the way, but the team had thought he was squashed. In her relief Abby had held him tight and pecked his cheek before batting him on the arm for his stupidity. The kisses became gradually more frequent, after he'd done something brilliant, or they'd survived a bad one, or just when he made her happy. Pecks on the cheek were insignificant to most people, but from Abby they were a major show of affection and Connor revelled in them.

-0-0-0-

Returning to the flat with a stitched up head and a mild concussion, Connor really didn't want to face the consequences of that phone call. When she'd said "We need to talk" in the hangar instead of sharing in his joy that the closing device had actually worked, he knew he was in for a rough time. And he'd really been looking forward to his peck on the cheek after that one.

The blonde, naked, YOUNG man, dripping wet and in just a towel nearly killed him. Was this a lover?. No, she wouldn't do that to him. Abby didn't behave that way. There had to be another explanation.

When she introduced her brother Jack, he knew immediately what was coming and what he had to do. Anyone else, he would have suggested kipping on the sofa, but this was her brother. This was the 'him' she didn't want hurt in her nightmares. This was the 'him' she had tried so hard in her childhood to protect.

Connor knew Abby hadn't been close to her brother in a long time. She'd never even mentioned to him that she had a brother and there had never been the usual birthday and Christmas cards. So the fact that he had turned up and she had given him a room spoke volumes. She was trying to reconnect with her younger sibling. Connor respected that and knew that his presence would mess things up. Abby and Jack needed alone time.

"Of course Abby. I'll stay at a mates." There were no mates, not since Tom's death and Duncan's disappearance. He didn't really know any of the rest of the team well enough to beg for a room – they had only been together a few months and whilst they probably wouldn't have minded, Connor knew he wasn't the easiest person to live with. Even Jenny was not an option as she was still so obviously grieving for Cutter. No, he'd stay at the ARC. He had everything he needed there. Sid and Nancy would be safe, and he could concentrate on the artefact and continuing Cutter's legacy. Abby and Jack needed this and it was within his power to give this to them.

That Jack turned out to be a devious, self-centred waster shouldn't have come as a surprise. Connor suspected some sort of narcissism, possibly as a result of his abuse. All Connor could do was what he had always done, to try to protect Abby. With Becker's help he would recover Rex from the bloke Jack had gambled him away to, but first he had a Dracorex to help Abby save. When she took his hand and guided it to the side of the wounded creature he felt the tingles shoot up his arm from her touch. In other circumstances he would have spun her round and kissed her, but the Dracorex was desperate for her help and he could not come between Abby and one of her creatures.

Having Sir William's sword at his throat was not the highlight of his day, but watching his beautiful Abby face down the armed knight was incredible, hot and downright scary. In that moment he was so proud of her. His wonderful, amazing Abby.

And there had been dancing with her in the ruined shack whilst on the run from Christine Johnson's men. Holding her in his arms and spinning her around was heaven. Admittedly the car crash, concussion, mine field and nearly being pecked to death by a flock of terror birds were things he could have done without, but hey ho, that was a day in the life of the ARC.

Then of course, it all went to hell. Jack was a bloody fool and got lost through an anomaly, and not a nice one with green pastures and fluffy bunnies. No, Jack had to find a desolate world with future predators and giant flying ant things. Bloody brilliant Jack!

Abby accused him of wanting Jack dead when all he was doing was backing up Becker's plan that they go back for reinforcements. The look of pure venom on her face scared and startled him. She had never focussed such anger and hatred at him. He stood for a moment, unable to believe that she could be that way. But he still did what he always did, protect her.

Drawing the future predator away from Abby and Danny, acting as bait to allow them to get to Jack was all he could offer her. He hoped Becker was ready to defend him but he couldn't be sure. He was swiftly coming to the conclusion that one day he was going to end up as a future predator's lunch. He had a nasty feeling that it might be today.

The relief when they all returned safely, even Becker, was overwhelming. Normally he would have turned to hug Abby, but she wasn't there. She was dragging her injured brother away for treatment. For the first time, Connor truly felt the loss. Whilst he wanted, no, needed her to reconnect with her brother, no matter how undeserving the brat was, he couldn't let his connection to her be broken. He needed her and the pain of her loss would be unbearable.

Then she kissed him.

Not a peck on the cheek, but a wonderful, full blown kiss. He had to hold her hand to stop himself from falling backwards as he went up on tip-toe to better reach her lips and keep the connection. He allowed her to make all the moves, afraid that if he responded as he wanted he would scare her away. She had to be in control of this, she had to dictate how this went. As she broke the connection and stepped away, a smile on her lips, he slowly came back to himself lowering himself back to the floor.

That had been beautiful, wonderful, incredible, amazing. She was still his. As he turned towards the trucks he allowed himself a smug smile – oh yeah, Connor Therapy was definitely working!

**tbc**


	5. Chapter 5

**WARNING – Mentions abuse and rape**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Abby was scared. She didn't know what to do. She needed to play this right otherwise everything would be ruined, but emotions were not her thing. She always messed up.

'You're a useless little bitch. Why would he want you anyway? He's sitting pretty over at Lester's smart apartment and doesn't need you and your pathetic problems. He's well shot of you, useless tart. You think you love him, you think you can have a life with him, children even, but all you'll do is screw them all up. Children, huh, what kind of a mother would you be? Look at your own useless excuse for a mother. Look how messed up Jack is. Or perhaps you'll take after me, won't that be fun!' Her step-father was back with a vengeance.

She needed Connor. She was relapsing and she needed his calming influence, but she was scared about inviting him back home, to his home, now Jack was gone. She knew she loved him, but would it be better for him to leave him in that plush apartment of Lester's where he was probably having a grand time. Would it be better for him if he stayed away from her?

She wasn't sure why he was at Lester's. He'd said he was staying with a mate, though he wouldn't tell her which one. Maybe Sid and Nancy had been too much trouble, but even so, Lester's seemed an odd place to end up. She needed to see him, to settle her mind. Then it struck her – a playdate for Rex with Sid and Nancy – perfect.

She was surprised when she arrived. He seemed his usual cheerful self, but there was a sadness behind his eyes. She'd caught it a couple of times recently, like there were things he wanted to share with her but didn't feel he could any more. This distance between them hurt her more than she cared to admit.

As she walked in to the opulent apartment, she noted the signs stuck on everything all starting DO NOT. These had to be for Connor's benefit, but why? Then she reached the living room and the metre square area taped off around an uncomfortable looking chair. The rest of the apartment was immaculate but that square looked like a disaster area with mounds of stuff and clothes, Connor's laptop, a duvet and a pillow. This seemed to be Connor's space, Connor's life – a metre square.

She allowed Rex out of the carrier box and Connor called Sid and Nancy over. The creatures were delighted to be reunited and scampered around, nuzzling, grunting and chirping their greetings as their guardians watched them with bitter-sweet smiles.

Connor wanted to say something to her, to ask her something, but she needed to set the ground rules.

"I don't want anything weird between us."

Connor's "no weird areas here" reply was just … weird. Whatever he was going to ask was abandoned. Was he going to ask to come home and she'd just shot him down? He asked if they'd been missed and she was deliberately obtuse referring only to their pets. He looked more broken.

It shook her badly as she realised what she was doing this to him. She was hurting him!

Abby braced herself and decided she needed to make this right. She belonged with Connor and he with her. He needed to come back to the flat if that was what he wanted. He was probably wondering why she'd delayed so long in asking him to return - it had been a week since Jack left and they'd kissed. She had feared he might have begun to move on, to write her off as a lost cause, but the look on his face, the longing, convinced her otherwise.

Seeing the plush sofa covered in DO NOT signs she flopped down ready to draw him over, snuggle up and ask him to come home.

The anomaly alert blew that idea right out of the water. Leaving the animals safe at Lester's, Abby and Connor jumped in her car and headed to the anomaly site.

-0-0-0-

Connor had been brilliant in the future world, saving their lives and rigging the batteries to get life into the anomaly device. No-one else could have done what he did, finding Helen's route and a way out of that hell-hole. If it had been appropriate she would have kissed him right there until they couldn't breathe, despite Danny's smirking presence. The clicking call of approaching future predators drove that desire from her mind.

They'd made it to the Cretaceous and Danny was tracking Helen. They had to stop her to save humanity. Abby was terrified as she was chased through the forest, unable to see Danny or Connor. She was alone with raptors on her heels. She heard a call, unable to distinguish if it was Danny or Connor. Suddenly strong arms grabbed her as she was lifted into the relative safety of a tree. They had to get after Helen quickly or they were all doomed. A stun grenade was there only option.

As Abby looked down from the tree at Connor's broken body she nearly died. She scrambled down and allowed Danny to check for life signs.

'Please be alive. Please be alive. I need you Con. Be alive for me. Be alright for me.' This mantra ran through her mind whilst Danny checked for a pulse. The idea that Connor might be gone was inconceivable.

"He's alive." Her relief was immeasurable. Now she had to decide. To go with Danny after Helen to save all of humanity, or to stay in the Cretaceous to protect the wounded Connor with no way home and an uncertain, and probably very short future. There was no question in her mind. It was Connor. It would always be Connor.

She looked at Danny, her face set in a look of grim determination "Go. You have to stop her. Finish it!"

Danny knew that leaving them there in that situation was almost certainly a death sentence, but he had no choice. Abby gave him no choice. He couldn't look back as he left them. He couldn't bear the thought that he was leaving his friends to die.

As Danny's figure disappeared through the trees, Abby swiftly checked Connor for major injuries. Nothing was obvious, and even his head, for once, seemed fairly intact. She knew he had to be moved, but she hadn't the strength to drag him far.

She sat him against the nearest tree and looked at the stunned raptors. With no weapon she had no way to fight them. If she had a knife she'd have killed them as they lay unconscious. It went against all her principles, but to save Connor she would do anything. But she didn't have a knife and whilst she assumed there was one in their gear, she didn't have the time to find it as one of the raptors began to stir. All she could do was try to lead them away from the still unconscious Connor.

They were both going to die here and she'd never told him. All she could do now was surrender herself to give him a few more precious minutes of life, although perhaps it would be better if he was torn apart whilst still unconscious so he avoided the terror and pain of a horrific death. She gave a bitter smirk at the thought. What was the best way to be ripped to shreds by raptors?

A rock smacked into the side of the raptor's head. Beyond all reason her beautiful, magnificent man was rescuing her again.

"Oi, pick on someone your own … species."

She smirked at his stupid joke. Even now he was protecting her, making everything alright. Why was she so scared of giving herself to him, this wonderful man who gave her everything?

That night as they lay curled in a shelter she'd managed to make in what she assumed was an abandoned nest (well she hoped it was abandoned), she helped him relax with thoughts of a warm beach and her in a bikini. His ankle was bad, but she didn't think broken, although she didn't want to take his boot off yet in case his ankle swelled. It was too cold to strip his clothes off to take a look at his back and ribs, but he said it didn't hurt too much and he wasn't having difficulty breathing so she hoped he hadn't cracked anything.

He was obviously scared, as was she. He knew how hopeless their situation was with a broken anomaly device and the ARC not knowing they weren't in the future. There would be no rescue mission. Their only hope was that Helen's anomaly hadn't closed and they could find Danny. Even then, it was unclear how they could get home unless they had Helen's device. If they had a home and if humanity even existed.

"Abby. Can I move back in to the flat please?"

Those big puppy dog eyes and that forlorn voice. How could she say no. Even though they both knew there was unlikely to be any flat to go back to.

She smiled gently at him. "If you like."

As she curled up on the other side of the nest from him, her step-father started again 'Who's a little scaredy cat? Even now you can't say it. Pathetic tart. You want him. You want to screw him to this tree right now, but you're so pathetic you can't even tell him how you feel. Oh he's worth more than that. Rubbish. He's a bloke and all blokes want from you is what's between your legs. You're no good for anything else. And now you're stuck here, just the two of you. How long before his urges get too strong and he just takes you whether you want it or not, just like me. He's a bloke and like all blokes he'll just take what he wants and throw you away, because you're no good for anything else. May as well throw yourself to a raptor now. Useless slut.'

She whimpered and pulled herself into a tighter ball.

'Connor wouldn't do that. Connor wouldn't hurt me. Connor wouldn't use me. Connor wouldn't take anything I didn't give freely. Connor isn't you!' She played the words over and over in her head as exhaustion slowly took her.

-0-0-0-

It took several days of slow and, for Connor, painful searching to come to the conclusion that Danny and the anomaly were gone and they were alone.

They sat next to a small fire at the base of their tree, sharing their meagre rations and deciding what to do.

"We need to find water, food and shelter. We have to assume we'll be here for the long haul unless Danny comes back, so we need to stay close to Helen's anomaly. I can cobble together a basic anomaly detector to alert us. Either one will open to another time, or Danny will come back. Either way we need to know and always be ready. We also need weapons. I've gathered some pebbles and used some of the strapping from the rucksack to make a sling shot, but we'll need spears and possibly a bow and arrows, if I can get the materials. But first water, food and shelter." Connor's nascent alpha male was beginning to assert itself.

Water wasn't too hard. There was a small river not far from the anomaly site that provided water for drinking, washing and toilet facilities. It also provided fish, once Connor had whittled a fishing spear.

Shelter was harder. They'd tried looking for caves, but the rock formations were unsuitable. The tree was OK in the short term, but offered little protection from the elements and Connor struggled to get up and down on his own with his damaged ankle. Also he was too slow and risked becoming a predator's meal. In the end they found a large, dense bramble patch between a tight cluster of trees. They noted that the creatures seemed to avoid it, whether it was the vicious barbs or just that it wasn't worth their while. Using the knife in the emergency pack, Connor cut his way through to the centre, which offered a clearing of about two metres diameter. Surveying the interior Connor figured that with leaves, vines and grasses woven through the stalks, they could build a relatively water tight shelter. Smoke from a fire should help ward off most creatures and smother their scent, and they would be out of sight of the creatures that hunted visually.

The next day he introduced Abby to their new home.

"It's not the flat is it." She said weakly and gave him a wan smile

"No, but it's the best we've got for the time being."

Shaking herself she rolled her shoulders. "Best get started making it a home then." She turned to Connor, gave him a brighter smile and, on tip toe, pecked him on the cheek.

"Oh!" He smiled. Was his Abby coming back?

He'd noticed the distance she'd kept between them. How she'd not touched him unless it was essential. How she'd shied away from touching him as she'd examined his bruised, but thankfully unbroken ribs. How she turned away from him when he tried to give her a reassuring hug. How she was almost secretive when she went to wash in the river – it was sensible for one of them to keep guard whilst the other bathed, but he felt they should stay within visual contact of each other. She refused to countenance it insisting he not look at her. She even slept as far from him as she could despite the chill in the air. She must have been freezing. It was as if she was shutting herself away from him, and he didn't know what he'd done to deserve it.

-0-0-0-

Abby was curled up on the far side of the shelter as usual, her back to the fire and him. Connor lay on his back, dreaming up possible tools and weapons and, when that became tiresome, contemplating Abby.

"No, no, don't hurt him! No, don't touch me! No, I don't want to! It hurts! Please don't, it hurts!"

Connor was over to Abby like a shot, calling her name, his hands hovering over her shaking form but unwilling to touch her without her permission. She was obviously having a nightmare, and he didn't know what to do. Normally he would have held her and kissed her head whilst whispering soothing words to calm her, but her recent behaviour towards him had made it clear she would not appreciate that.

She sat up screaming "Connor!"

"I'm here Abby love, I'm here. What can I do? You're safe. Tell me what's wrong? Abby, please, let me help, who hurt you?"

Abby turned, her eyes wet and wild, her face a picture of torment. Seeing Connor she threw herself into his arms and sobbed against his chest until she had nothing left in her.

Some while later they sat staring at the fire. Connor had made a tea out of some local herbaceous plants, and he had wrapped the silver emergency blankets around Abby's shoulders and over her knees. His arm was loosely around her shoulders holding her upright as she sat hunched in upon herself, sipping the tea from her tin mug.

"Abby, what's been going on? You've not had a nightmare this bad in ages. And you've been pushing me away, just when we need to rely on each other most. Why Abby? Tell me so I can understand."

Her eyes never left the fire as she came to a decision. She spoke slowly, her voice quiet and quivering.

"I need to tell you about myself - why I am how I am. I need you to listen and not say anything until I've finished. Can you do that for me Con?"

"Course Abby." He feared what he was about to hear and steeled himself to give her the silence she needed.

"My father died when I was two. It wrecked my mum. She started picking up men and drinking in the local pub. I was usually left in my cot on my own until she got back. Then she picked up this bloke, Gary. He was a drunk too, so they got on well together. They got married, god knows why, and not long after that she fell pregnant with Jack. Gary couldn't cope with a screaming baby, so he got more drunk and screamed at her. So she got drunk and screamed at him. So he hit her. I was a quiet baby so I stayed out of the way. By the time I was five I was looking after Jack as much as I could, whilst they got drunk and fought with each other."

Abby hunched in on herself even more and took another sip of tea. She'd never told anyone this, not even the police or her social worker. She had no idea why she was telling Connor now, but she figured he deserved to know. Deserved to know the screwed up waste of space he was putting his life on the line for.

"When I was about nine and Jack was six, mum left. I don't know where she went and I never heard from her again. She just packed her stuff and disappeared. Why Gary stuck around I don't know. I wish he'd just put us into care then. It couldn't have been any worse than what he did to us. I became his skivvy, keeping house, doing laundry, shopping and looking after Jack. Jack was … difficult. Selfish, self obsessed and something of a thief. He used to come home with sweets and toys he couldn't possibly afford. I made sure Gary didn't know in case he punished him, or worse, put him to work. Gary was always on the look out for the easy money so using a little kid to thieve for him wouldn't have been too much of a stretch."

"Jack became more difficult. He thought the world revolved around him and threw tantrums when he couldn't get what he wanted. With Gary that was suicide. I tried to keep him quiet, keep him appeased, but when Gary found out he would hit him, and if I tried to intervene he would hit me. He was clever, never anywhere it showed. Then I hit puberty and everything changed, not at first, I was still too young, but as I matured so did his interest. Instead of hitting me he started doing … other things. Disgusting things." She looked up at Connor with sadness and self loathing "He used me Connor. He raped me. Night after night. And if I cried too loud he would threaten Jack. Threaten to hurt him. To sell him to a friend of his who liked boys."

Her shoulders were shaking and she was sobbing again.

"One small mercy was that he was careful so I never fell pregnant, but I had a few scares. He didn't want another screaming brat on his hands so he took precautions. It was nearly two years before a teacher noticed the signs. He was arrested and sent to prison. He died there in a fight, but he's still in my head telling me how useless I am and all the disgusting things he wants to do to me. All the disgusting things YOU want to do to me!"

Connor took a sharp intake of breath. He'd been trying to suppress his anger at how this beautiful woman had been so cruelly used. He'd felt some relief when she said her tormentor was dead, but to then hear that he was still poisoning her mind against not only herself but also him!

He pulled her closer to him and kissed her head. Then he turned her chin towards him and looked deep into her eyes.

"Abby, know this, if nothing else. I would never do anything you didn't allow me to do and I will never hurt you deliberately. I am NOT your step-father."

"I know Con. It's just hard, with him talking to me when my guard is down. I used to look for blokes just like him, because that's all I thought I was worth. After he was locked up we went into care – huh, that's a misnomer if ever there was one. There was no care, no love and very little support. I had a bit of therapy, but nothing of any worth, it was just to make the authorities feel they'd done their duty. Jack and I were split up and I just became a skivvy in my foster parent's house. Luckily I was smart enough to get good grades at school and my social worker got me an apprenticeship at Wellington Zoo so I could continue my studies and get my qualifications. I shagged my way through a load of blokes who were just using me before I discovered a bit of self worth. After that I tried to stay away from blokes, until I started at the ARC. I thought Stephen was different, but he wasn't, not really. And then there was you. You were so unlike the usual meat-heads that wanted me that you kind of sneaked in under my defences. You've been so kind and helpful to me and now I've screwed it all up. Now you're stuck with the filthy, useless slut that you wouldn't want to touch with a bargepole. The dirty, disgusting, broken tart."

Her face was still turned towards his, but her eyes were cast down as she finished her self-loathing speech.

Connor did the only logical thing. He drew her face towards his and placed the softest, most loving kiss he could on her lips. It wasn't long or demanding, and it wasn't passionate. It was just love.

She gasped and pulled away, her eyes wide and staring. He thought he'd done something wrong.

"Sorry Abs. I know I said I wouldn't do anything you didn't want, but I thought you needed that. I'm sorry, it won't happen again." He pulled away from her and made to move away to the far side of the shelter.

"Connor, wait." He stopped and turned towards her, awaiting the final nail in the coffin of his dreams.

"Connor, do you love me?"

"'Course Abs. Always have. You know that."

"Connor, do you still want me, despite all that I've told you about myself? You don't think I'm disgusting, or a slut, or something to be used and thrown away?"

"Oh Abby, I could never think that about you. I know you. You're kind and warm and beautiful. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met and I'd be honoured to be with you. You deserve love and respect, and you will always have that from me, no matter what."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." Connor smiled then began to turn away and continue towards the far side of the shelter.

"Connor, will you hold me?"

"'Course Abs. Anything for you." He moved back to her and wrapped her in his arms, her head under his chin. Slowly her arms came from under the blanket and wrapped themselves around his waist, drawing him closer to her.

He leant forward and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"Con, I was such a disaster when I first met you."

"Abs, you were beautiful to me, even before you did the girl thing."

"But Connor, I treated you so badly, throwing myself at Stephen and pushing you away. Why did you stick around? Why did you decide I was worth the bother?"

He smiled at her. "You really don't know?" She shook her head. "It was because of Rex. The dude trusted you and only you. He could have escaped - gone anywhere, but instead he stayed happily in your arms and came to you when you called. I knew that if Rex trusted you so completely, you had to be special."

"But even so, I've treated you so badly and you've stuck around for so long. Why?"

"Because you needed me and I needed you. There has never been anyone but you Abs."

"Not even Caroline?"

He grimaced. "Especially not Caroline."

Slowly she drew her head back and looked up at him. She chewed her lip and then slowly smiled.

"Thank you Connor, for taking the time to help me heal. I was so broken I never thought I could be with anyone. I'd resigned myself to always being alone. You're the first person who's ever valued me, and you're the first and only person I'm ever going to say this to." She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "I love you Connor Temple."

Connor was stunned. As she watched his face, and time ticked by with no reaction a worried frown began to crease her brow. As her words finally sank in they kick started his frozen brain. He smiled his mega-watt smile and tears began to well in his eyes.

"And I love you Abby, with all my heart."

-0-0-0-

If you've read 'The Princess Bride' you know that, in history, there are five great kisses.

But in pre-history there were many great kisses and this was the first and greatest of all.

**tbc**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Becker smiled as he watched his friends hugging. He felt one of the rips in his heart mend and a peace and joy he hadn't known in a long time as he accepted that at least two of his lost team-mates were now safe and well. Bedraggled, filthy and very smelly, but home.

Then it dawned on him. The hugging was quite … intimate. Not so much the hug of team-mates and colleagues, but more the embrace of lovers. 'Oh Becker, you idiot!' he mentally berated himself 'They've been stuck, alone, in the Cretaceous for over a year with no other human contact and little chance of rescue. They were dancing around each other before they left. Of course they've become lovers. But neither of them are stupid so I bet they've not …' Becker shut off the thought before it fully formed, but planned a little detour on the way back to the ARC that night.

As Connor and Abby headed towards Lester's office and what was bound to be a painful discussion, Becker delayed Connor briefly, unzipped his rucksack and popped a package inside. As the bemused Connor threw him a questioning look, he zipped up the rucksack, patted him on the shoulder and said "just in case mate."

-0-0-0-

Walking in to the Prospero company flat was quite uncomfortable. After a year of cold, filth and unrelenting nature, the pure white, sanitised luxury of the apartment was quite intimidating.

Connor was despondent. They had both been told that their services were no longer required at the ARC.

"But Abs, I have to continue Cutter's work. Lester knows that. Why can't he see? Why can't he let me continue with Cutter's work?"

"Con, not now. Let's talk about this in the morning. Look, there are clean clothes in the wardrobe and there's clean linen on the bed. Let's finally get the Cretaceous behind us and look at this with fresh eyes in the morning. Perhaps Lester will have reconsidered once we've completed our de-brief."

"You think so?"

"Yeah Con. Lester knows that nobody knows more about anomalies than you, despite what this Philip Burton says. He'd be mad not to take you back."

"But Philip's a great scientist. He's a genius. I read his papers before all this happened. His theories were brilliant." Connor's eyes were shining, despite his tiredness.

Abby could see where this was going. Connor was vulnerable having just returned from a year of isolation from humanity and technology. To be confronted by one of his scientific heroes was overwhelming.

"Come on Con. Get those clothes off and let's hit the shower. I bet it's one of those power showers with endless hot water, and I bet the soap is that luxury crème stuff that you get in posh hotels."

"Can I wash your back Abs?"

"God yes, and my hair. I just need to find some scissors, nail clippers and a razor or three. There are toothbrushes and toothpaste in the cupboard, oh and floss, and mouthwash." She was rummaging through the bathroom cabinets now looking for cleansing supplies.

"Abby." Connor's voice was reverent. His hands were draped in luxurious softness. "Toilet paper!"

She turned on the shower and dragged him under the hot water. They lathered, scrubbed, soaped and conditioned until every trace of the Cretaceous was gone from their skin and hair. Nails were trimmed and Abby carefully neatened up Connor's hair and beard.

"Are you sure you don't want shot of the beard Con?"

"No, not just yet. I want to give my skin a chance to adapt to all this cleanliness before taking a razor to my face. I might pick up an electric one, just to really enjoy the final defuzzing and a return to my boyish good looks." He gave her a cheeky grin as she stroked his cheek and affectionately ran a thumb over his lips.

"OK love. I can wait to kiss your cheek again. Now get out and leave me alone. I have my own year's worth of fuzz to remove."

"But Abs, I love you au natural."

"Yeah, well I'd like to give smooth and hairless a go first before you make a final decision on how you like my legs."

Connor gave her a lascivious smirk. "It wasn't so much your legs I was thinking about!"

Playing shocked, Abby shrieked "Connor. Out. Now." And set about removing hair from underarms, legs and bikini line.

Connor dried himself off and wrapped himself in the soft dressing gown, white of course. It smelled strongly of laundry detergent. He'd never realised before quite how strong and chemically washing liquid smelled. In fact everything smelled strongly of chemicals, and there was a constant drone of white noise from the air conditioning, the electrical appliances and the city itself. It made a change from the constant calls of hunting and hunted animals, but was in some ways slightly unnerving. He was sure he would soon get used to the noise as his brain re-acclimated to modern living, but at the moment his senses were being assailed by the falseness of it all.

He rummaged in some drawers and found underwear for Abby and boxers for himself. Then he remembered Becker's gift that was shoved in his rucksack. He withdrew the paper bag noting it was from Boots. Curious, he gingerly opened the top of the bag, peering carefully inside.

"Oh Becker, you are the best mate ever!" he beamed. Inside was an unopened box of 18 condoms. "Mate, if I didn't think you'd shoot me I'd bloody kiss you!"

He slipped the cellophane off the box and withdrew one of the square packages, caressing it slowly between his fingers and grinning, before placing the opened box and several of the loose packages in the drawer of the bedside table. Then he found the box of tissues on the dressing table and placed that on the bedside table too.

Abby emerged from the bathroom wrapped in another white dressing gown and brushing her damp hair. Connor looked at her.

"What?"

"Oh nothing Abs. Just thinking that we have a lot to thank Becker for, and that you are the most gorgeous woman in the world."

Abby looked at him quizzically as a massive yawn suddenly overtook her.

"Maybe not the most gorgeous, but certainly the tiredest. Con, the sun's almost set, can we go to bed?"

"Of course my love." He slipped off his dressing gown, dumping it on the end of the bed and pulled back the duvet, patting the space next to him as an invitation for Abby to join him. Whatever his plans for the evening, both he and Abby were sound asleep before the sun sank below the horizon.

-0-0-0-

Connor awoke with a start. Abby wasn't beside him – he felt a twinge of panic, before the bright whiteness of the room and softness under his back reminded him that he was no longer sleeping on the pre-historic ground.

He guessed where she was. The sun was just rising and she was on guard, protecting him as she always did in the early morning hours. Despite his ability to be alert and awake at a moment's notice when threatened, Connor still wasn't a morning person, so Abby was in the habit of sitting guard over him as he struggled back to consciousness with the rising of the sun.

He got up and found her on the balcony. She looked radiant. He wanted to hold her. To make her truly his. But no, not yet.

"I'll stand watch. Why don't you get some rest?"

"I'm happy here with you."

He felt blissfully happy and the luckiest man in the world as his beautiful woman snuggled in to his arms and watched the sun-rise with him. Soon there would be breakfast and coffee and condoms (oh yeah they were really going to make use of those), but for now this peace was all they needed.

**tbc**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Duncan spotted the black clad figure as soon as he crossed the threshold of the squat. He felt a shiver of fear as he watched the bearded man stride purposefully towards his door.

So it had come to this. They had finally found him. He had expected this day ever since Tom died in Connor's arms. Connor had said it was a Government conspiracy that went all the way to the top. Duncan was just surprised that they had left it so long to silence him.

Of course, he had gone off the grid as soon as he left the stadium, dashing back to the flat to grab cash, bare essentials and his laptop, and then hiding amongst the homeless on the streets.

He had trusted Connor and been betrayed. How long had Connor been a plant sent to spy on him and Tom? How long had Tom been the target for this experiment?

They'd all met up during Freshers week, signing up to one of the gaming groups. Despite their differences the three of them had instantly bonded over a love of Tolkien, horror movies and classic sci-fi. That Connor was a couple of years older than them and obviously a bit of a genius didn't stop Tom from taking control. Tom was the natural leader, the one with the ideas and plans. Connor was the technician and the babe magnet. Duncan was pretty slick on the IT front, but Connor was a step beyond. That he could always attract a bevy of eager women whenever they went to the Student Union had greatly improved his mates' dating prospects – it was thanks to Connor that Duncan had met the gorgeous Bella and had finally lost his virginity.

For two years they'd hung out, watched sci-fi and horror movies and eaten pizza. Then Connor became excited and secretive, talking about dinosaurs. It was just weird.

He'd gone totally ballistic when they'd pulled his leg by tricking him to the woods with that fake t-rex. They though at first he was trying to get lucky with the blonde girl, but apparently his interest in the creature sighting was genuine. For a few days it looked like their friendship was over, as Connor angrily ranted that they didn't know what they had done, but then it all seemed to blow over and Connor was back to his cheerful, secretive self.

Due to the discovery of dry rot, Connor got kicked out of his student digs while the building was treated. It was natural for Tom and Duncan to offer him their sofa, but he turned it down in favour of a 'better offer'. Of course they bugged his bag so they could track him – it was his fault for being so secretive and not sharing with his mates.

They knew he didn't have any problems with the geek girls, but the hot blonde in the skimpy underwear seemed well out of his league. Mind you, it wasn't surprising Connor was secretive if he was in a relationship with her!

Duncan heard everything as Connor told Tom about the mind control and the conspiracy. He watched Tom's eyes change as whatever had infected him took control, and then Tom was gone. Professor Cutter and Stephen Hart were there with the hot blonde and a load of soldiers. The Professor was hugging Connor, consoling him as he cried for his friend. Duncan took the opportunity to slip away, before he too was infected.

He couldn't risk going back to Central Met if Professor Cutter and Stephen Hart were involved in the conspiracy too. Nor could he risk his Mum's safety by contacting her. He'd seen all those spy films and knew what governments could do. His only safe haven was to become one of the nameless homeless.

It was hard living on the streets and staying below the radar. He took on small IT repair jobs for cash in hand and stayed in shelters and communal squats so he could hide amongst the faceless crowd.

He found an abandoned building, awaiting redevelopment. The recession had put everything on hold, allowing Duncan the opportunity to move in. The water was still on, and Duncan rigged up electricity by tapping in to the office building next door. He started installing security measures, alarms and CCTV.

He still went back to see his friends at the factory squat, but their numbers were dwindling rapidly. People were disappearing without a word, often leaving all their meagre possessions behind. Some thought that their neighbours were being abducted for secret government experiments, some gossiped of secret lottery wins. A couple of the more brain-fried residents spoke of monsters, but it was difficult to believe the ramblings of men who drank methylated spirits.

Duncan dismissed their stories at first, but the more he investigated the more he began to suspect they were right. Could this be related to the stuff Connor was messed up in?

Stupidly, he posted his research on a creature sightings website. And now they'd found him.

The face on the screen looked like Connor, but older, more care-warn. Like he'd gone through some sort of trauma.

He opened the door, unsure it wasn't a trick.

"How did you find me?"

"I asked ya Mam."

Duncan debated letting Connor in, but it was pointless keeping him out. He had seen Connor cry over Tom. He wouldn't hurt Duncan, would he? Would they be so devious as to send Connor to dispose of him?

It was so easy to accept Connor back in to his life. It was as if they had never been apart. Connor believed him and didn't dismiss his talk of creatures as delusions and an indicator of underlying psychosis, as the man at the homeless shelter had done. He threw him one of his walkie talkies so they could keep in touch as he led them to the abandoned factory.

-0-0-0-

Duncan's heart was in his mouth as the container fell and a huge creature broke through the doors. Duncan squeaked and ran into the stacks of containers, desperately looking for somewhere to hide. He heard Connor yell his name. He heard him shout that he had to go, he wasn't going to lose another friend.

Duncan was Connor's friend! Connor was trying to save him!

Duncan felt something he hadn't felt since the day Tom died. He felt trust.

The creature nearly got him, but he heard Connor calling his name. Then the walkie talky burst into life and Duncan felt safe. Connor would find him and protect him.

Just when he thought all was lost, there was Connor, shoving him into a container and telling him to stay put. As the door closed, Duncan heard a growl. The creature had Connor's scent and was close on his tail. He heard Connor run.

As Duncan stood in the dark, he suddenly realised what was niggling him. The soldiers were all armed, but Connor wasn't. Connor had run after his friend with no means of defending himself. Duncan reached in to his bag, his fingers finding a torch. He switched on the light and hoped that his friend wasn't going to be hurt protecting him.

He heard running feet, a scream, shouts, muffled shots and roars from the creature, then it all went silent. For the next twenty minutes Duncan sat with nothing but his torch for company. He tried calling Connor on the walkie talky but all he got was static. He was unsure if he should look outside. He'd heard nothing for a while, but Connor had told him to sit tight. He decided that he would wait for Connor.

And there was the familiar voice, muffled, but calling his name. There was a woman's voice too. Duncan gently pushed the container door open and peered out. Connor and a hot blonde were approaching. Wait, it was THE hot blonde. She too looked older and like Connor her hair was long, her skin tanned and her body lithe as though they had both endured extreme physical exercise. Even Duncan could see that Connor was now muscular and had a physical confidence that he'd never possessed before.

As Connor approached, Duncan leapt forward and threw his arms around his old friend.

"I'm sorry I doubted you Con. I know you were just telling Tom what he needed to hear, but I was so scared and I didn't know who to trust. They put me on meds Con, because they said I was delusional, but I wasn't Con. I know what I saw."

"No mate. You weren't delusional. It was my fault. I should have tried to find you and made sure you were OK. I tried ya Mam, but she said she hadn't heard from you, and then stuff got in the way and I never got round to tracking you down. That was so wrong of me. Please forgive me Dunc."

"Buy me a pizza and introduce me to the hot blonde and we'll talk about it."

Connor smiled. "You're on. Pepperoni? And this is Abby. Abby this is Duncan. You met him when we had the problem with the dodos."

Abby reached out her hand in greeting. "Hello Duncan. Nice to meet you properly, eventually. I'm so sorry about Tom." Duncan marvelled at her beautiful smile. If Connor could find Abby there was hope for geeks everywhere. Mind you Connor looked a lot less geek and a lot more bamf these days.

"Thanks, but it's OK. I came to terms with losing Tom a long time ago."

They sat in the restaurant for hours, talking, reminiscing, drinking cola and eating pizza. Duncan had spent periods during the last few years questioning his own sanity, but now, sat here with Connor and Abby, he began to feel whole again. His grasp on reality had never been stronger despite the weirdness he'd been through in the last few hours.

"Do you want a lift to ya Mam's Dunc?"

"No, I'll go back to the squat, if you'll give me a lift. I'll give Mum a call from there. I've got a lot of stuff to pack up and a few things to dismantle. And then I've got a life to rebuild."

"You sure Dunc?"

"Yeah Con, I'm sure. It's been good to see you mate. Don't leave it so long next time."

"I won't mate. You've got my number. If you need anything, even just beer and a pizza, give me a call. I don't want to lose you again."

"No Con, me neither." And Duncan smiled, understanding only too well both meanings of that statement.

**tbc**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Abby recognised the signs well enough. How could she miss them? She knew Connor better than he knew himself. Every little expression, the secret smiles, the way his eyes shone when he spoke about what they had done together, his anticipation of their next meeting. She could read him like a book and it hurt her.

While they were away they had spoken about everything. Without the distractions of the modern world all they had was survival, sleep, sex and soul-searching.

They started by confessing their misdemeanors. He told her about nearly freezing to death in her lab when all her plants were destroyed. She confessed to him about her horrendous date with the soldier, and he finally told her about Connor Therapy, Project Abby and Project Caroline. That earned him a smack on the arm and the silent treatment for a day, before she forgave him and kissed him until his brain melted.

She told Connor all about her childhood both before and after Gary. It helped him to truly understand and it finally helped her start purging Gary from her mind. Slowly her vile inner voice was being replaced by a gorgeous one with a northern lilt telling his Abby that she was brilliant, beautiful, wonderful, and occasionally, an idiot. But the voice always resonated with love.

Likewise, Connor told her of his life. She was shocked to hear that he, too, had been abused as a child. She adored his mother for helping him heal and hoped one day to meet her. She understood why he was so passively accepting when he was used as the team's whipping boy and why he so rarely got angry. She also came to understand why he was so fiercely loyal and stupidly brave, always willing to put himself in the line of fire to protect others. She was mildly stunned and surprisingly relieved when he confessed his sexual experiences at Uni. She also came to understand his need for computer games, and his obsession with Cutter.

Connor explained about the relationship he had craved with his father, but that was stolen from them by his abuser. He explained the significance of the ring he always wore around his neck, and how he hoped, one day, to wear it as his wedding band. She remembered how he had blushed so sweetly at that admission and given her a coy smile.

She understood his father fixation with Cutter. But Cutter was a good man and looked upon Connor almost as a son. He was worthy of Connor's admiration and never abused Connor's trust. She too had loved and respected Cutter. Continuing Cutter's legacy and solving the mystery of the anomalies was a worthy ambition and something that she fully supported Connor in.

-0-0-0-

They were now back at the ARC full time and were getting used to the new team.

Becker was a lot more introverted and guarded than she remembered. He seemed to relax with her, but with the others he was so shut down and isolated. She saw the looks he gave the new Field Coordinator, and his obsession with bringing her chocolate. The problem was he was now so emotionally repressed that he would never do anything about it. She talked to him often in the break room over coffee. Once, she managed to drag him out to a secluded bench in a local park so they could talk privately.

It was then he had told her about Sarah, how she had died in the future world when they were ambushed by predators. He told how he carried her meagre remains back through the anomaly, his fear of how he would explain what happened to Danny, and he cried in Abby's arms as he remembered the funeral and his resignation.

"Becker, you resigned? But the ARC means everything to you." She was unable to keep the shock from her voice.

"Yeah, and it took everything from me in a way Iraq and Afghanistan never did. I can accept losing my men, however hard it may be. We are all trained soldiers and know the risks. Whilst none of us wants to die, any one of us will lay down our life to protect the civilians, be they team members or the public. But this was different. First I lost Cutter, then I nearly lost Jenny and then I lost all of you. You, Connor and Danny lost in time with little hope of return and then Sarah." He was shaking and his eyes looked moist with unshed tears.

"But you're still at the ARC. How is that if you resigned?"

"Lester. When the ARC reformed in partnership with Prospero, Lester had two conditions. That there was a new and improved menagerie with all the animals transferred to the new building and properly cared for, and that I was reinstated without loss of privileges and resumed as Head of Security." His voice was flat, emotionless, but his body was taut and shaking with emotion.

"But after everything you'd been through, why did you come back?"

"Because it was the only way I could come to terms with what had happened. I had to make sure no-one else went through that. I got Lester to agree that no-one goes through an anomaly again, no matter what the reason. We lock them and only re-open them to put creatures back. That's it, despite what Matt does. Burton wasn't too happy about it - I think he wanted scientists to go through to carry out research, but it was non-negotiable. I don't think Burton fully appreciates the implications of interferring with the anomalies. He's only interested in the anomalies as a scientific phenomena, and not the animals or the eras they open to. Or the implications for history."

Abby filed what she'd heard away, before focussing back on Becker. He was still so distressed. She wrapped her arms around him in a sisterly hug and held him, gently stroking his back, until his shaking abated.

After a while Becker took her arms and gently pushed her away."Thanks Abby. I feel better now. We should head back." His eyes were still red, but he looked more in control.

On the walk back to the ARC, Abby asked what Becker thought of the new team members.

"Matt seems too good to be true. That man has secrets. But he's a good Team Leader and he never gave up on you, despite that you'd been officially ruled Missing, Presumed Dead. He refused to accept it and told all of us to keep looking. I respected him for that. Despite his secrets I trust him."

Abby knew that Becker's trust was not easily earnt, so to hear him speak of Matt like that gave her confidence in the Team Leader she barely knew.

"And what about Jess? She's been so fantastically generous to us, but what do _you_ think?"

He flushed lightly and composed his features before he answered "She's very good at her job, brilliant even. It brings a new dimension to being in the field, knowing that we have someone watching our backs and anticipating our needs."

"You don't think she's too young?" It was a leading question and she knew it.

"Possibly a bit young to cope with some of the horrors we deal with, but not immature. Just ... bubbly." He smiled, and his eyes unfocussed slightly as if he was lost in a pleasant thought. Abby smiled to herself - Jess and Becker. Well, well. More there than just chocolate!

They'd reached the ARC and were approaching the Hub. Becker turned to Abby. "Well I should head back to the armoury. Thanks for the talk Abby."

"My pleasure. We should do it again."

"Yeah." And he was gone, striding down the corridor, head held high and shoulders back.

-0-0-0-

Abby didn't trust Philip Burton at all. Not only had he threatened to kill the animals in the menagerie, against her advice and all existing ARC protocols, but she trusted Becker's instincts about him - that he had no interest in any aspect of the ARC's work except the physical anomalies themselves. He was obsessed with collecting data about them irrespective of the danger or cost in human life to obtain that data.

She recognised in Burton some of the traits she had seen in Jack. He was self-absorbed and had that self-satisfied smirk. He believed himself to be always right and the authority on everything, not listening to reasoned arguments or alternative views. That he thought he knew more about the anomalies than Connor was frankly absurd, but Connor bowed to his 'superior' knowledge, even though he sometimes confessed to her privately that some of Burton's assumptions were wrong. His disregard for the creatures, maintaining the timeline and for human life were downright scarey. But the worst part was the effect he was having on Connor.

Connor was totally obsessed. He saw in Burton the next Cutter. His father fixation was coming back with a vengeance and he would not listen to Abby's words of caution.

Abby knew that, unlike Nick Cutter, Philip Burton cared nothing for Connor. All he cared about was Prospero and his work. As more and more demands were made on Connor she could see that Burton would have no compunction about working her poor, trusting man into the ground if it gave Burton what he wanted.

She guessed that Burton had read Cutter's files and was subverting Cutter's own theories to persuade Connor that this is what Nick had wanted all along. But the more she listened to Connor as he explained the basics of what he was doing for Burton, the more she realised it sounded like the wrong Cutter - it sounded like Helen's theories, not Nick's. She tried to talk to him about it, but Burton had him so blinkered he couldn't understand her concerns.

And Connor was becoming secretive. He would come home in the early hours of the morning, but refuse to tell her what he had been doing, citing confidentiality agreements, or telling her she wouldn't understand. They had agreed early in their relationship that they would be totally honest with each other. That he was now being forced to keep things from her was hurting him.

Abby was feeling more and more isolated from Connor. She was increasingly convinced that this was Burton's intention. To drive a wedge between her and Connor so that he could have Connor's genius all too himself.

The arrival of April Leonard as Connor's assistant seemed too contrived. She was obviously a confident and pretty woman, yet she dressed and behaved like the stereotypical computer geek. Every time she saw April, she was reminded of those awful programmes where the mousey lab tech suddenly takes off her glasses and shakes down her hair to transform into the glamorous seductress. Yes, a seductress to tempt Connor away from Abby. If that was Burton's plan he really had no idea. The ties that bound Connor and Abby together ran much deeper than mere physical attraction, and would be much harder to break. She wondered if Burton had read about Caroline Steele and assumed the same ploy would work again.

That April kept Connor in the lab all night after he'd already been working 24 hours straight, had been dragged underground, knocked unconscious, gassed and then blown up, showed how little regard Burton had for Connor's well being. Between them Burton and April would suck Connor dry and Abby would not allow that.

-0-0-0-

Becker had been right about Matt's secret, and now Abby knew about it she realised just how much trouble Connor was in. She had to save him from himself before he destroyed the world and himself. She needed Matt's help, and he needed hers, but she would not allow her beautiful Connor to be used so cruelly.

"Matt, tell me everything. I will help you, but understand this, I will not sacrifice Connor."

"What if we can't save him?"

"Matt, if you want my help then that is my only condition. Connor and I are everything to each other. What we do, we do together. Burton is subverting Connor's need to complete Cutter's work to accomplish his own goals. I will protect Connor to my dying breath and if that's what it takes so be it, but I WILL save Connor."

**tbc**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

He had lost her!

He stood at the top of the stairs and confessed his guilt to them. Confessed that he had been tricked, used, and that now it was too late. Too late for him, for the world ... for her.

Her face bore a look of blank despair. There was no expression of love for him anymore, no soft and forgiving smile, no consolation in her blue eyes. He had ignored her warnings and pushed her away too often and now he had lost everything.

He had told her she didn't understand him, didn't understand what he was doing, insisted how proud she would be of him once she finally knew. But in truth he had been the one that didn't understand and now he had destroyed everything, literally.

The beetles had almost killed Jess, and Philip had attempted to kill them all. He hadn't trusted Connor - had refused to allow him even the few minutes he needed to try to save the ARC and themselves. He had justified it in his smug way citing protecting hospitals and schools, but Connor had called his bluff. He knew now that Burton's only interest was New Dawn and his own ego. Nothing and no-one else mattered.

He had sworn to Connor that Helen Cutter was just one of many scientists who wrote to him to ask his opinion on their hypotheses. He barely remembered her name and had certainly never made her acquaintance. Danny Quinn was delusional and mentally unstable after over a year trapped in isolation in the distant past. Didn't his dashing back through the anomaly after a psychopath (admittedly his long lost brother) indicate his irrational mental state. His claims of Burton's connection to Helen Cutter were unfounded and should be taken for what they were, the deranged ramblings of an unbalanced mind.

This had never sat well with Connor. He knew Danny too well to think him irrational or deranged. But he didn't trust Matt who, despite his apparent affection for Emily and his willingness to risk his own life to save Connor, had an uncomfortably close relationship with Abby. So he had quashed his misgivings and accepted Philip's word over Abby's instincts. After all, they were carrying on Cutter's work.

He now realised, it was the wrong Cutter.

-0-0-0-

She was still his!

He had left him to die, trapped in the overturned car whilst an enraged Kaprosuchus roamed nearby. He had even removed the power cell from the EMD, just to make sure he was unarmed. Setting the small cell just out of his reach to torment him was the final cruelty. He claimed he was giving Connor a chance, but in reality he expected him to die, crushed and alone in his car. Just one more victim of Convergence.

Her face had appeared through the broken window like an angel. It was so hot when she shot the car to shut off the blaring alarm. Then she prised the dashboard off of his leg to free him from the wreckage. His beautiful, resourceful Abby.

He apologised to her as best he could. He did not expect anything from her, but hoped she would understand why he had been so misguided. He had no excuse and could only apologise. He knew he could not expect her forgiveness after what he had done, how he had treated her. Even he didn't understand how he could have behaved that way now that the blind devotion to Philip Burton had cleared like a fog from his brain.

"This is where you kiss me."

He could not believe it. She was accepting him back. He smiled as his heart soared and leant forward to savour her lips. They were still together, and together they could accomplish anything.

-0-0-0-

Abby heard Connor shout something to her, but the noise of the machine was blocking everything. She ran towards him in the hope that she would hear better.

Suddenly the noise began to subside and, as she rounded the corner she saw Connor, his back to her, stood upon the machine watching the energy stream slowly abate. The flickering light from the dying nascent anomaly shone behind him. He looked beautiful!

She called his name and he turned to her, a look of triumph on his face. Then, as suddenly as it had subsided, the machine started again.

Connor threw a worried glance over his shoulder as the energy stream resumed. He knew what was about to happen and had no way to avoid it. He turned back to look at Abby, his face a picture of despair, as he screamed "No" and took his last look at her beautiful face even as realisation struck her and she began to crumble.

Then she was gone and all he saw was the blinding light before darkness took him.

Abby screamed as her heart shattered. Emily was holding her back, but she barely noticed as she watched her world disintegrate. Her Connor was gone!

-0-0-0-

Matt had told her to stay, he would go after Connor. Emily had tried to hold her back, but she would have none of it. Connor was her's and if he were dead then she would find his body and die too. What they did, they did together. That was their way, their vow to each other.

As she ran through the anomaly, she recognised the world from Matt's data files. She heard Connor call Matt's name and her heart soared - he was alive!

Making her way towards the call she saw Matt struggling to pull the obviously injured Connor away from two fighting future predators. As she drew closer one predator killed the other then advanced towards it's prize. Why weren't Matt and Connor on their feet and running? Why was Matt's arm protectively across Connor's chest?

Taking aim, she fired both EMD's at the creature, buying the men time to get away.

Matt lead them all to an underground bunker to escape the coming storm. Connor was gasping and his breaths sounded painfully ragged. He managed to gasp out that his lungs were burning. Abby helped him as Matt looked for water. She saw only pain and despair in his eyes. This world was of his making. Her worst nightmare had been realised - her beloved Connor Temple had destroyed the world!

And he knew it!

"We need to go now."

"You go ahead. I'll catch you up when I feel a bit better."

Connor was giving up. He had betrayed Cutter's legacy and had destroyed humanity's future. He was the one Helen should have shot in the wrecked ARC, not her husband. He was responsible for Sarah's death in the future world that only existed because of him. He deserved no-one's pity and no-one's forgiveness. It was only fitting that he stay here, in the world he had created and accept the fate he had bequeathed to the rest of the human race.

"Come on Mate, it's not over yet."

Matt was trying to get him to go back, but there was nothing to go back for. He had no future. Even if Abby forgave him, what could he offer her? A broken and desolate man in a broken and desolate world. How long before she hated and despised him. He couldn't bear that - the disgust of the woman he adored.

Abby looked at her broken man and felt nothing but love. If they were to stand any chance of making this right, she knew she needed to get Connor back to the other side of the anomaly.

"Connor, you need to go back."

"Come on Mate. I can't do this on my own." At least Connor registered Matt's words, but he was still so lost, all hope taken from him.

"What we do we do together. That's the deal. Forget about New Dawn and the anomalies. You have to go back."

The broken look he gave her as he reached up and stroked her cheek nearly tore her already fragile heart in two and tears began to well in her eyes.

"Why?"

How dare Philip Burton destroy her man like this. How dare he trick Connor into carrying out this evil. All their plans, their life together, everything she wanted to share with him was going to die here in this desolate world at the hands of Philip Burton and Helen Cutter. She would not allow this. She would fight to protect Connor and their life together.

She leant forward and put her lips to Connor's ear. "I told you once I would never say this to anyone else. I love you Connor Temple. I want to marry you and have a family with you. I want a future."

His look of bewilderment and then joy melted her heart and caused her tears to flow. She saw the light of hope come back into his eyes. He grabbed the EMD she offered and squared his shoulders as renewed hope gave him the strength he needed.

"Right, are we doing this then?"

**tbc**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

They staggered back through the door of Jess's apartment tired and filthy. They had destroyed New Dawn and saved the passengers on the train. Anomalies still existed and the ARC was still required - there would be no normal lives for them.

Until an anomaly to the future opened they had no way of knowing if they were successful or what they had changed. There was no question of Connor using his technology to open a man-made anomaly to find out. Hopefully the future was now a blank canvas, waiting to be written, without the interference of Helen Cutter. They could only hope that the futures she had visited to meddle and steal technology no longer existed - paradoxes that Connor and Matt would one day analyse and expound upon, but not now, not yet.

Lester had told Abby to take a couple of days with Connor before returning to the ARC for de-briefing. Though battered and bandaged from his encounter with the predators, Lester was still able to arrange for Connor to see the top lung specialist three days later. He'd called in a few favours and met the man's outrageous demands to secure him and his team's full co-operation. Lester had to be sure that there were no repercussions from the toxic storm Connor had endured. Matt had briefed him on the possible consequences of Connor's exposure. James was not going to risk losing his top scientist and the only remaining expert on anomalies. Not now. Not after all this.

-0-0-0-

Jess had already showered at the ARC to remove Lester's blood from her body, leaving Connor and Abby full use of the apartment bathroom to remove the dust and grime of New Dawn from their hair and skin. Jess gave them their space, disposing of their ruined clothes and sorting out food and drink whilst they tried to wash away the horrors of the day.

There had been joys too - the elation of closing the New Dawn anomaly, and Matt's return against all odds. Then Abby had proposed and Connor had said "yes" - how could he not? But now Connor was coming down from his adrenaline high and was beginning to sink back into depression.

He was apathetic in the shower, accepting Abby's gentle and loving ministrations but unwilling to respond to them.

"Sorry Abby love, I've got a headache and me lungs still ache. Can we just eat and then go to bed?"

They climbed under the duvet and Abby turned towards her fiancé, expecting at least the comfort of a cuddle, but he was curled in on himself, hugging the far side of the bed, his back to her. She reached out to stroke his neck and shoulder, but he moved away from her touch, even closer to the edge of the bed.

Abby rolled back to her side of the bed and curled into a ball. Even when Connor had been working all hours at Prospero she had not felt this alone. She was terrified that, having fought so hard to get him back, she was about to lose him again.

For the next two days he was lost in his thoughts, a shadow of his former self. If Philip wasn't already dead Abby would have readily killed him for the way he had destroyed her brilliant man.

Connor spent his time staring into space, surfing the web or watching the news reports of the aftermath of Convergence and the ARC clean up operation. His cough, whilst still distressingly bad, was subsiding even as the death count rose. He hadn't touched his video games, which scared Abby more than she thought possible. Digital carnage seemed inappropriate to lift the darkness from his soul. He saw little point - he had caused enough carnage already!

She found him staring at the news, his body shaking. She drew him into her arms ready to discover what was wrong, but he started speaking before she could ask, his voice trembling, eyes never leaving the scenes of destruction. "I knew what was coming Abby. We could have been ready. These people are dead because of me!" Tears rolled down his cheeks and the look of pure anguish on his face broke her heart.

She knelt before him with his cheeks in her hands. "Connor, you know Convergence would have happened anyway. You suspected it would happen and you did what you should have done, confided your fears to the head of Prospero. Philip was the one who dismissed your concerns and sidetracked you onto other research. He failed to tell anyone else so we could prepare. He was so certain that New Dawn would solve everything, but, as usual, failed to consider how many deaths would occur before New Dawn took over. He was only concerned with his clever gadget, not the human costs. It was Philip, Connor, not you. You did everything right. This is not your fault and no-one will blame you."

"But, so many lives have been lost!"

"Connor, you are a good, kind, honest man. You did everything you possibly could, and in the end you stopped New Dawn and saved humanity's future ... our future. If you want to think on anything, think on that."

-0-0-0-

The doctors carried out x-rays, scans, blood samples, and a whole raft of tests on the uncomplaining Connor. He endured every invasion without reaction, barely raising his head and answering questions in monosyllables. It was down to Abby to provide the detailed information. Matt had meticulously documented the indicators and symptoms of diseases caused by exposure to the toxic storms. Abby scanned through Matt's list and her heart clenched in fear.

It was mid afternoon when they were finally released with prescriptions to ease his aching lungs and appointments to come back in one week for results and possibly further tests.

Connor was lifeless, his hands shoved in his pockets and his feet dragging.

They headed to the ARC to start their de-brief. Reaching the entrance, Connor stopped, reluctant to go inside. Abby dragged his right hand out of his hoody pocket where it had spent the day. She laced her fingers through his and smiled at him.

"Come on Con. Let's get this over with."

Connor walked into the building keeping his eyes on the floor, his head down and his left hand still shoved in his pocket. He tried to pull his right hand away from Abby's but she wouldn't let him, simply holding it tighter and not letting go.

One of the soldiers approached them along the corridor. Connor's eyes flicked up and a look of fear flashed across his face. He ducked his head lower and tried to shrink out of the way. As the soldier passed he glanced at the huddled form. He suddenly stopped dead in the corridor and turned towards them.

"Mr Temple?"

Abby stopped and Connor froze, unsure of what to expect. He knew they would blame him for this latest disaster and the men they had lost during Convergence. He knew it was all his fault and that he should be accused, vilified, made to pay.

Slowly Connor and Abby turned around.

"Yes, Parsons isn't it?" Abby tried to keep her voice upbeat and her face smiling, but she could feel Connor's trembling hand and knew he wanted to escape.

"Yes ma'am. I just wanted to say ..." Parsons paused, looking confused and at a loss for words. His eyes darted around as he struggled to express himself, then he snapped smartly to attention and executed a perfect salute. "Well done sir, ma'am."

Then he was marching off down the corridor.

Connor was frozen to the spot, eyes wide, staring at the disappearing back of the soldier.

"Abby, what just happened?"

"I think Connor, that that means you're not to blame."

She smiled gently at him and drew his unresisting left hand from his pocket, wrapping both his hands in hers and clasping them to her chest. "Despite what you may think of yourself and how much you blame yourself, it wasn't your fault. You were used by Philip and Helen. You were tricked. But you didn't build New Dawn, Philip did. You didn't turn on New Dawn, Philip did. And Philip didn't stop New Dawn, _you_ did."

Connor was still bewildered as he looked at Abby while she smiled at him. Then, she went up on tip-toes and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Oh!" He smiled for the first time in days.

"Come on Con, we'd better get on."

They walked through the doors into the Hub. Before them stood Becker, Jess, Matt, Emily, the techs and some of the soldiers not currently in the field on clean-up operations, a few of them clad in bandages and casts. Lester sat in Jess's chair clutching his cane, still weary but determined to personally oversee the repair of the ARC and dismantling of Prospero.

As Connor and Abby approached, someone cried out "Here they are!"

The assembled team began to applaud, and some cheered. Abby pushed Connor forward into the room and stood back herself, also applauding.

"But, but, it was my fault. If I hadn't worked with Philip, given him the data he needed, none of this would have happened."

Matt stepped forward. "Mate, look at it this way. If New Dawn hadn't happened, I would probably never have been born and I certainly would never have come back." He threw a quick glance over his shoulder to the smiling Emily before turning back to Connor. "As you said yourself, Philip Burton was a genius and even without you he would probably have got there anyway, especially with access to Helen Cutter's research. So New Dawn may well have been inevitable. But the point is _you_ stopped it. You shut it down and saved the future. You're a bloody hero mate, so stop beating yourself up about the bad stuff and start remembering how you saved the world!"

Connor, still wide eyed and disbelieving, looked at the smiling faces of his friends. "So I'm not going to be fired?"

Lester raised himself on his cane and made his way towards his top scientist.

"Of course you're not. Who else is going to work out how to predict these things and shut them down. Good grief man, you're worse than Becker at blaming yourself for everything."

"Oi, I don't do that!" Becker exclaimed.

"You do darling." Jess leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Becker's waist.

His hands unconsciously wrapped around her shoulders in return, pulling her closer to his body as he glared angrily at Lester.

Suddenly he became aware of who was in his arms. He looked down in bewilderment at Jess's smile. "Did you just call me darling?"

"Yes darling."

"Oh." Becker looked confused, but his arms still remained wrapped around her. He thought for a second about this unexpected turn of events, then, like a good soldier, decided on a strategy to turn this to his advantage.

"Err, in that case, I don't suppose you'd like to have ... have dinner with me tonight?"

"Love to. Although I think your place would be a good idea as I'm sure Connor and Abby will need my place to 'talk'."

"Um, my place as in ...?" His raised eyebrows completed the question. He couldn't quite believe this was happening. "Um, are you sure? I mean ... "

"Yes darling. I keep an overnight bag in the locker room in case of emergencies, so there's no need for me to go home. Unless you don't want me to stay of course." She was making that delicious pouty face that made him long to kiss her. Perhaps now he would.

"No, no, I'd love you to. Err, are you sure it's not too fast?"

Jess giggled. "Silly. We've been dancing around each other for over eighteen months. After all that's happened recently I think it's about time we made a move, don't you?"

"Well, alright then." Yes! This was really happening! He couldn't believe his luck - she wanted him!

"About time Action Man!" a voice called out from by the ADD where the rest of the team had gravitated to give the new couple a little privacy.

Jess whirled round and glared at the heckler. "Really, James! I never expected that from you!"

-0-0-0-

What a difference a day made.

Connor staggered through the apartment door, trying hard not to knock Abby's head on the door frame. He carried her carefully, her arms around his neck as she gently nibbled his ear.

"Where?"

"Bedroom."

"Now?"

"Oh yes!"

Some while later, they lay, curled in each others arms, naked and exhausted but deliriously happy.

"Abby, I really am so sorry. I will never know why I put Philip's word above yours. I can't believe I did it. How can you ever trust me again?"

"Because I know why you did it even if you don't. I knew that you would never be able to resist what Philip was offering. You had been starved of technology for over a year, and you came back to find one of your scientific heroes had taken over the ARC - your baby. I saw it in your eyes that first day we were back. You were smitten. Burton was clever. He offered you a way to continue Cutter's legacy."

"But it wasn't Nick's."

"No, but someone like Philip Burton doesn't get to be a multi-billionaire without knowing how to manipulate the truth for his own ends. You never stood a chance my love. He'd read your files. I got Jess to check back through the logs. He knew about your dad and he knew about your devotion to Cutter. He tried to make himself your new father figure even though he never deserved the role. I'm just thankful you didn't fall for April."

"Sorry, what? What do you mean fall for April?" His confused reaction showed he'd never even thought about April that way, much to Abby's relief. So she'd never made a move on him, although Abby wondered if it might have been different if Connor had ever shown any interest.

"I'm fairly sure she was there to keep you on the straight and narrow by any means possible including seduction. After all, Philip had access to the Caroline Steele files."

"But I guessed about Caroline from the start and was never attracted to her."

"I know, but that's not what the files say. I had a look. They say she was sent in to seduce you and keep you off balance and away from the anomalies and the ADD while Leek and Helen infiltrated the ARC. Don't forget, Caroline was part of Helen's plan. If it worked once, why not use it again on poor, gullible Connor." She reached over and stroked his cheek, letting him know she thought him neither poor nor gullible.

"But I _was_ poor, gullible Connor. I was just seduced by the project, not the people."

"Con, stop beating yourself up over it. You were duped by a master manipulator who had access to almost everything about you including those psych tests we did when we first joined. You really didn't stand a chance." She kissed him slowly and lovingly. "Luckily he hadn't realised those psych tests were seriously out of date following our time in the Cretaceous, especially mine. You've changed me for the better. The old me would have got angry and shut you out leaving you even more vulnerable. I'm not that person any more. I know the value of what I have and I fight to protect it." They kissed again, snuggling closer into each others arms.

"Although, if he hadn't tried to destroy the creatures in the menagerie, and worked you in to the ground I would probably have been taken in too. If he'd been nice to me instead of trying to drive a wedge between us New Dawn may just have succeeded and then where would we be? The point is, you saw through him in the end and you put it right. You were the only one who could."

"Only with your help Abs. Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Couldn't ever do that Con. What we do, we do together. That's the deal, especially now." She happily wiggled her left hand under his nose allowing his father's wedding band to glint on her ring finger.

He was smiling lovingly at her, then his face clouded. "I just hope I'm around long enough to enjoy this. I saw Matt's list. Any one of those diseases could be fatal. I don't want to leave you Abs, but I may not have a choice."

She stroked his cheek. "Con, don't get maudlin on me. You've got the best care and they'll be monitoring you all the way. If, and it's a big if, something shows up then they'll treat it right away. And I'll be with you, helping you fight, no matter what." She was terrified, but determined not to let her fear consume her, or him. He needed her strength as she needed his love.

Connor pulled her close to his chest so she could hear his beating heart, her head tucked under his chin. Together they were unstoppable and he was never going to let her go.

"Did you really mean what you said, in the bunker, about marriage and children?"

"Of course I did Con. I told you, I want a future with you and no-one else."

His face shone with pure joy. "Me too. Thank you Abby."

"My pleasure Con. After all, I have a pretty big debt to repay you. Just call it Abby Therapy."

**THE END**

* * *

**Well that's it. What do you think?**

**Want to know what happens next? This story leads into 'Parenthood', but I may revisit at a later date.  
**


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